About Holothuria edulis Lesson, 1830
Holothuria edulis is a medium-sized sea cucumber that grows to around 30 centimetres (12 inches) in length. It has a roughly cylindrical body with rounded ends, and is able to retract, expand, and alter the shape of its body. Its skin is usually soft, pliable, and smooth, but special properties of its connective tissue allow it to become firm and rigid when needed. Longitudinal rows of small tube feet line the body; these can be withdrawn into the body wall, leaving small indentations. Around the mouth, approximately twenty tube feet arranged in a ring are modified to act as feeding tentacles. This species is typically dark reddish-black on its upper surface and pinkish-mauve on its underside, but it may also be grey or dark brown. Holothuria edulis is a common, widespread species found in the Indo-Pacific Ocean. It inhabits the seabed at depths down to 20 metres (66 feet). Its distribution ranges from the Red Sea and East African coast to Sri Lanka, Japan, China, Indonesia, the Philippines, northern Australia, and multiple Pacific islands. It occurs in a variety of habitats, including sandy and muddy substrates, coral rubble, and seagrass meadows, and can be found on inner and outer reef flats, back reef slopes, and in lagoons. As its scientific name suggests, Holothuria edulis is edible. It is dried and sold as bêche-de-mer or trepang in China and Indonesia.
