About Astichopus multifidus (Sluiter, 1910)
Astichopus multifidus is a robust, soft-bodied sea cucumber species. It reaches a maximum length of 40 cm (16 in) and maximum width of 10 cm (4 in). Both its dorsal and ventral surfaces are uniformly covered in hundreds of tube feet; the tube feet on the dorsal surface are extended into papillae, which are fleshy conical projections about 1 cm (0.4 in) long with tube feet at their tips. This species is typically chocolate brown or dark grey. It may sometimes be mottled with paler patches, or speckled with many small white spots. This species is native to the Caribbean region. Its range includes the West Indies, the southern tip of Florida, the Dry Tortugas, the Campeche Bank region, and extends southwards to Colombia and Venezuela. It inhabits sandy seabeds near reefs, and is occasionally found in seagrass meadows. It occurs at depths between 10 and 30 m (33 and 98 ft).
