This sea cucumber (Pannychia sp.), or holothurian, was observed on the seafloor at a depth of 2,320 meters (7,610 feet) near the start of Dive 02 of the Seascape Alaska 3 expedition. Sea cucumbers like this one ingest sediment from the seafloor, extracting what little nutrition it can from the mud before expelling undigested material. In this way, sea cucumbers play an important role in the ocean ecosystem, helping to redistribute and essentially aerate the sediment, making it a healthier place for other animals to live.
Sea Cucumber
Image courtesy of NOAA Ocean Exploration, Seascape Alaska. Download larger version (jpg, 1.1 MB).

This sea cucumber (Pannychia sp.), or holothurian, was observed on the seafloor at a depth of 2,320 meters (7,610 feet) near the start of Dive 02 of the Seascape Alaska 3 expedition. Sea cucumbers like this one ingest sediment from the seafloor, extracting what little nutrition it can from the mud before expelling undigested material. In this way, sea cucumbers play an important role in the ocean ecosystem, helping to redistribute and essentially aerate the sediment, making it a healthier place for other animals to live.