CLASS HOLOTHUROIDEA

The Class of Sea Cucumbers

CIRCULATORY SYSTEM
Sea cucumbers possess both a water vascular system that provides hydraulic pressure to the tentacles and tube
feet, allowing them to move, and a haemal system which consists of well-developed vessels as well as
open sinuses.
Found next to the ring canal of the water vascular system is the central haemal ring which surrounds the
pharynx. This sends off additional vessels along the radial canals beneath the ambulacral areas. In the larger
species, additional vessels run above and below the intestine which are connected by over a hundred small
muscular ampullae. This acts as miniature hearts pumping blood around the haemal system.

DEFENSE MECHANISM
Sea cucumbers are often despised by marine predators because of holothurin, a toxin, they contain and their
spectacular defensive system. Some species defend themselves by expelling sticky threads called cuvierian
tubules which trap their potential predators. Cuvierian tubules are enlargements of the respiratory tree that float
freely in the coelom. Sea cucumbers can regenerate, replacement tubules grow back in 1 to 5 weeks, depending
on the species.

DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
Sea cucumbers are detritivores which means that they feed on dead and decaying matters like tiny algae,
plankton, and minute marine animals. They use their long retractile tentacles which surrounds their mouth to sift
through the sediments of the sea floor. Found after the mouth is the pharynx which opens directly into the
intestine.

EXCRETORY SYSTEM
The intestine and respiratory tree act as sea cucumbers excretory organs. Nitrogenous wastes diffuse across the
tubules walls in form of ammonia and phagocytic coelomocytes depositing particulate waste.

EXOSKELETON
A sea cucumbers skeleton is reduced to microscopic calcareous ossicles embedded beneath their skin however
some genera use the ossicles as dermal armor.

NERVOUS SYSTEM
Sea cucumbers have no true brain. Surrounding the oral cavity is a ring of neural tissue called nerve ring which
sends nerves to the tentacles and the pharynx but it does not have a central role in nervous coordination. Most sea

cucumbers have no direct sensory organs but there are various nerve endings scattered through their skin which
allows them a sense of touch and sensitivity in the presence of light.

REPRODUCTIVE SYSTEM
Sea cucumbers reproduce sexually and asexually. Their sexual reproduction is called as external reproduction
because sperm and egg cells are released into the ocean water and there fertilization takes place.

RESPIRATORY SYSTEM
Sea cucumbers breathe through their anus. They open their anus and cloaca to let the water flow in. Once the
water is in, it goes directly to the respiratory trees where gas exchange happens by diffusion. Afterward, the
seawater is allowed out through the anus and the process is repeated again.

Citations:
Barnes, R. D. 1980. Invertebrate zoology. 4th ed. Philadelphia: Saunders College. p.981-997.
Taraporewala, A. 2011. Sea Cucumber Facts. Retrieved May 08, 2016, from http://www.buzzle.com/articles/seacucumber-facts.html.