''Holothuria thomasi'', the tiger's tail, is a species of

sea cucumber Sea cucumbers are echinoderms from the class Holothuroidea (). They are marine animals with a leathery skin and an elongated body containing a single, branched gonad. Sea cucumbers are found on the sea floor worldwide. The number of holothuria ...

in the family Holothuriidae. Although it is the largest sea cucumber known in the western Atlantic Ocean, it is so well camouflaged that it was 1980 before it was first described. It is placed in the subgenus ''Thymiosycia'' making its full name ''Holothuria'' (''Thymiosycia'') ''thomasi''.

Description

''Holothuria thomasi'' receives its vernacular name from its resemblance to a tiger's tail. It takes the form of an elongated cylinder with rounded ends and can reach long. It is mottled with patches and streaks of dark brown, golden brown and white, sometimes with irregular rings of colour. On the upper side there are

papillae Papilla (Latin, 'nipple') or papillae may refer to: In animals * Papilla (fish anatomy), in the mouth of fish * Basilar papilla, a sensory organ of lizards, amphibians and fish * Dental papilla, in a developing tooth * Dermal papillae, part of ...

, thorn-like projections, which are dark brown tipped with white. The underside is paler and has several longitudinal rows of tube feet. The animal has no eyes and the mouth is at the anterior end surrounded by a fringe of about 20 shield-shaped tentacles. When it is feeding, this end is enlarged. When small, individuals move about freely, but larger ones conceal themselves in crevices or under projections and are seldom seen.Holothuria thomasi
Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute. Retrieved 2012-01-16.Tiger tail sea cucumber (''Holothuria thomasi'')
Marine Species Identification Portal. Retrieved 2012-01-16.

Distribution and habitat

''Holothuria thomasi'' is found in the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico and surrounding areas. It lives on coral reefs, hidden among the bases of corals at depths of to . Its favoured habitat is the escarpments of the outer reef, between the outer ridge and the steep reef slopes.

Biology

''Holothuria thomasi'' is a

scavenger Scavengers are animals that consume dead organisms that have died from causes other than predation or have been killed by other predators. While scavenging generally refers to carnivores feeding on carrion, it is also a herbivorous feeding b ...

. Keeping its posterior end firmly anchored in a crack or underneath a rock, it sweeps the surrounding sand and algae-covered rocks with the front third of its body. The tentacles grab the

detritus In biology, detritus () is dead particulate organic material, as distinguished from dissolved organic material. Detritus typically includes the bodies or fragments of bodies of dead organisms, and fecal material. Detritus typically hosts commun ...

, sand, gravel and

algae Algae (; singular alga ) is an informal term for a large and diverse group of photosynthetic eukaryotic organisms. It is a polyphyletic grouping that includes species from multiple distinct clades. Included organisms range from unicellular mic ...

that it encounters and pushes them into its mouth. It then processes this material in its gut and expels the inedible fragments through its anus.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q5884374 Holothuriidae Animals described in 1980