Trepang ( sea cucumber ) or Holothuroidea are echinoderms similar to sea urchins and starfish .
Sea cucumbers have a worm-like body with a soft body .
These animals can be found in almost every marine environment , although tropical coral reefs in shallow waters is their favorite place to live .
Sea cucumbers inhabit the sea floor and are sometimes seen half buried .
These organisms move on the seabed using hundreds of tiny suction organs contained in their tubular legs .
Different Types of Sea Cucumber.
The oldest fossils of sea cucumbers are spicules that lived about 425 million to 405 million years ago .Currently , there are about 1,400 species of sea cucumber in various shapes and sizes .
Various species of sea cucumbers length ranging from 1 cm to 20 cm .
One of the giant sea cucumber species that Synapta maculata can grow up to 5 m in length .
Most species of sea cucumbers live on the ocean floor , while others live floats follow ocean currents as plankton .
Food cucumbers .
Generally , sea cucumbers are scavengers that means eating the remains of organisms on the sea floor .Most sea cucumbers eat the organic material , small algae , plankton , and small marine animals .
Breeding .
Sea cucumbers can reproduce both asexually and sexually .Fertilization in sexual reproduction occurs externally (outside the mother 's body).
In the case of external fertilization , the sperm and egg cells are released into the water for fertilization later .
In order for a greater likelihood of fertilization , sperm and egg cells are released should amount to much .
Defense Mechanisms .
When it feels threatened , some types of sea cucumbers will release the sticky threads to trap their enemies .Other species mutilate the body as a defense mechanism .
Various species of fish and other aquatic animals prey on sea cucumbers , particularly eggs and larvae .
Several types of sea cucumbers cultivated even as a delicious food source .
Mollusks .
Mollusks are organisms that have a hard outer shell .Members of this phylum include various species of animals that are very diverse in the world .
Mollusks include invertebrate animals , which means it does not have a spine .
1 . General Characteristics of Mollusks
There are more than 85,000 species of mollusks that have been identified .Contribute about 23 percent of all marine organisms , mollusks are considered as the largest phylum GCC inhabit the marine world .
Under the body there is a hard shell that is soft and vulnerable to predators drying .
That's because, the structure serves as a protective shell for mollusks .
2 . Classification.
The name is derived from the Latin word mollusc ' molluscus ' which means ' soft body ' .Mollusc species grouped under the mollusk phylum and superphylum Lophotrochozoa .
Phylum is then classified into class 7-9 , where gastropods are the largest group .
3 . Habitat.
Mollusks are found in very diverse environments , including mountains in the highlands to the sea .They live in gardens , large trees , dense forests , ponds , rivers , estuaries , deserts , until the ocean floor .
4 . tool Motion.
Some water mollusks are reliable swimmers , while others are stationary animals that remain attached to rocks , soil , or plant part .Most mollusks live underground because they explore its capabilities .
5 . Size.
The size ranges from a few millimeters mollusks up to 70 meters in the case of some species of squid .Giant squid , was recorded as the largest invertebrate animal species , has a body length of about 12 m and tentacles measuring about 50 m .
Likewise , small mollusks weight ranges only a few milligrams , while the adult giant squid weighing up to 270 kg .
6 . Examples of Species.
Nudibranch mollusc is a group known for their bright colors .Some examples of other mollusks including snails , oysters , mussels , squid , octopus , etc. .
7 . Body Parts.
Mollusks have soft bodies with no legs , does not have a skeleton , and including the cold-blooded animals .The mollusk body consists of three basic parts , the head , mantle , and foot muscles .
The coat is part of the fabric which secrete shells . Some species have an internal skeleton , such as squid and octopus .
Mollusks have all the major organ systems such as the brain , heart , kidney , and gills .
Eating habits vary according to the species of mollusks . Reproduction takes place in a sexual way .
So , thank you for reading this article. Written and posted by Bambang Sunarno.
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http://primadonablog.blogspot.com/2014/02/did-you-know-about-cucumber.html
DatePublished: February 05, 2014 at 22:15
Tag ; Cucumber, sea cucumber