Pelagothuriidae

Pelagothuriidae is a family of deep-sea swimming sea cucumbers. They are somewhat unusual in appearance, in comparison with other sea cucumbers, having numerous appendages, including conical papillae and leaf-like tentacles. Most of them are benthopelagic, which means that they are able to swim for a time from the bottom : the species Pelagothuria natatrix is the only true pelagic holothurian (and echinoderm, to date) ; it looks like a jellyfish. Most members of the order inhabit deep-sea environments, like Enypniastes.^[3]

Pelagothuriidae
Enypniastes eximia
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Echinodermata
Class:	Holothuroidea
Order:	Elasipodida
Family:	Pelagothuriidae Ludwig, 1893[1]
Type genus
Pelagothuria Ludwig, 1893
Genera
Enypniastes Théel, 1882 Pelagothuria Ludwig, 1893
Synonyms[2]
Enypniastidae Östergren, 1907 Planktothuridae Gilchrist, 1920 Planktothuriidae Gilchrist, 1920

Classification

Family: Pelagothuriidae

• genus Enypniastes Théel, 1882
• genus Pelagothuria Ludwig, 1893

The only true pelagic echinoderm known to date : Pelagothuria natatrix (here close to the Galapagos).

References

• Barnes, Robert D. (1982). Invertebrate Zoology. Philadelphia, PA: Holt-Saunders International. p. 995. ISBN 0-03-056747-5.
• Mah, Christopher (September 18, 2012). "Deep-Sea Swimming Sea Cucumbers and the "most bizarre holothurian species in existence"!". The Echinoblog.