Creatures of the Limu Pt I: The Sea Cucumber

Martin Guo shows off his find.

Here's an exciting invert found around Kane'ohe Bay: Opheodesoma spectabilis, a somewhat-modile, fluid -filled inhabitant of reefs and Gracilaria canopies alike. O. spectabilis is a Holothuroidian, a sea cucumber (or weli, in Hawai'i), and unlike the darker, "meatier" sea cucumbers found around Hawai'i, lacks tube feet on its ventral surface. Instead, it has tiny spicules all over the surface of its body, giving it a sticky texture (try detaching one from your wetsuit!). It is a filter feeder (hence the frilly mouthparts, above), and common in Kane'ohe Bay and Pearl Harbor.