Pink and Black Sea Cucumber

Holothuria edulis

Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Echinodermata
Class: Holothuroidea
Order: Holothuriida
Family: Holothuriidae
Genus: Holothuria
Species: Holothuria edulis

The pink and black sea cucumber (Holothuria edulis) is a soft, smooth sea cucumber that is black on top and pink to red underneath. Its body is long and somewhat flattened.

It grows to about 30 cm and grazes over sand and rubble, swallowing sediment and digesting the organic matter in it, which helps keep the reef bottom clean. It can reproduce by splitting itself in two as well as by spawning.

The pink and black sea cucumber is found across the Indo-Pacific, including the Philippines, where it is common on sand, rubble and reef flats. Like other sea cucumbers it can host the harlequin swimming crab.