Deep-sea swimming sea cucumbers (Pelagothuriidae) are sometimes seen on the seafloor and sometimes in the water column. This one was seen during Dive 11 of the 2019 Southeastern U.S. Deep-sea Exploration. Due to its semitransparent body, we can see its intestine, which is filled with sand from which it extracts its nutrients.
Sea Cucumber
Image courtesy of the NOAA Office of Ocean Exploration and Research, 2019 Southeastern U.S. Deep-sea Exploration. Download larger version (jpg, 698 KB).
Deep-sea swimming sea cucumbers (Pelagothuriidae) are sometimes seen on the seafloor and sometimes in the water column. This one was seen during Dive 11 of the 2019 Southeastern U.S. Deep-sea Exploration. Due to its semitransparent body, we can see its intestine, which is filled with sand from which it extracts its nutrients.
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