About Synapta maculata (Chamisso & Eysenhardt, 1821)
Synapta maculata is a long, slender sea cucumber that has fifteen tentacles. It typically grows to around 2 meters (7 feet) in length. While it is not the heaviest or bulkiest sea cucumber in the world, it is likely the longest. Exceptional individual specimens can grow to over 3 meters (10 feet) long. Its coloration is variable: it is usually some shade of yellowish-brown, marked with wide longitudinal stripes and patches of darker color. Its body wall is supported by ossicles, which are microscopic calcareous, spike-like structures. These ossicles are large, anchor-shaped, and can reach up to 2 millimeters in length, and they are used by the sea cucumber for locomotion. The ossicles are adhesive, which makes this species very difficult to detach from a wetsuit. This species is native to the tropical western Indo-Pacific region. It is found at depths down to approximately 20 meters (66 feet), living on reefs and on soft seabed sediments among seagrasses and seaweeds. It can also bury itself under rubble.
