Peppered Sea Cucumber

How to Distinguish from Similar Species: Cucumaria miniata grows larger, is brown or orange, and is not speckled. Eupentacta species may be similar in color but are usually smaller and have no speckles.

Wedged between and under rocks and cobble

Depth Range: Subtidal to 137 m

This cucumber is usually white, yellowish, or orange-pink, with purple, brown, or black speckles on its body. The speckles may be mostly on the anterior end, and especially on the buccal tentacles. The tube feet are in 5 approximately equally-spaced, double longitudinal rows. The skin is smooth. The ten buccal tentacles are bushy and branched. Length to 12 cm.

Biology/Natural History: A suspension feeder. Spawns in spring in Puget Sound. Eggs are olive-green and float when released; larvae are orange. Body wall is toxic to fish such as kelp greenling and gunnels but apparently not to seastars. May contain the pea crab Pinnixa faba.

Geographical Range: Queen Charlotte Islands, BC to Baja California.