Psolidae
From Natural History of Southeast Alaska
Family: Psolidae
Group: Marine Invertebrate, Species
Scientific Name | Common Name | Summary |
---|---|---|
Psolus chitonoides | Creeping pedal sea cucumber | This uncommon sea cucumber doesn't look very much like a sea cucumber when its feeding tentacles are retracted. It is often confused for a chiton, hence its name. The "scales" are ossicles, which will come as a surprise to naturalists who are used to them as tiny structures used in the identification of difficult species. Because it is a sea cucumber and not a chiton, the creeping pedal sea cucumber hangs on to the rock by rows of tube feet, rather than the sucking force of one foot. It is preyed upon by Solaster starfishes. |