Tar-spot Sea Cucumber (Cucumaria pseudocurata)

Description: Among other species of sea cucumbers, the tar-spot sea cucumber is a tide pool resident at Haystack Rock. These creatures usually only grow to be between 1.5-3 centimeters long, but larger individuals can sometimes reach lengths of 3.5 centimeters. Because of their small size, they are able to hide in crevices between rocks and creatures like California mussels in the mid to low intertidal zone. Each one can vary in color and pattern; you may see ones that are grayish-yellow, light brown, or a darker brownish-black color. Each one has five rows of tube feet that run along its body lengthwise. These tube feet are used for moving and for feeding. They also have 10 tentacles surrounding their mouth (8 of which are identical in length and 2 of which are shorter) that they use to feed with.

Habitat: Geographically, they range from northern British Columbia in Canada down to Monterey Bay, California. They’re also often found aggregating in groups of many tar-spot sea cucumbers.

Diet: Like other sea cucumbers, tar-spot sea cucumbers are suspension feeders, which means they capture bits of food (like plankton or detritus) that are floating in the water. 

Tide Pool Tidbits:

• Tar-spot sea cucumbers look a lot like another species of sea cucumber, Cucumaria curatus. Tar-spot sea cucumbers are named Cucumaria pseudocurata because “pseudo” means “fake,” therefore it’s like a fake Cucumaria curatus. 

• Tar-spot sea cucumbers spawn in the winter, and the eggs of females are bright orange!

• In general, sea cucumbers can live for up to 5-10 years.

Reference: Central Coast Biodiversity