Eupentacta quinquesemita (Selenka, 1867) 

Stiff-footed Sea Cucumber 
Synonyms:  None
Phylum Echinodermata
 Class Holothuroidea
  Order Dendrochirotida
   Family Sclerodactylidae
Found in Rosario Bay, WA.  Side view.  Animal is approx. 8cm in length.
Photo by: Kelly Williams, June 2002
Description:
Cylindrical, white or cream-colored cucumber about 4-8 cm long.  The tube feet are restricted to ambulacra, forming a double row in each radius, strongly supported by skeletal elements and thus relatively rigid and nonretractile.  The animal has ten branched, yellow tentacles: eight large and two small.

How to Distinguish from Similar Species:
None

Geographical Range:
Sitka, Alaska to Baja California

Depth Range:
Low intertidal to shallow subtidal

Habitat:
Under and between rocks and in crevices.

Biology/Natural History:
E. quinquesemita is eaten by the sea stars Solaster stimpsoni and Dermasterias imbricata, and juvenile Eupentacta are a staple food for Leptasterias hexactis.  Adults rarely expose their tentacles during daylight hours.  Spawning occurs in the spring.  Development is indirect, and eggs embryos, and larvae are greenish in color and occur in the Puget Sound plankton from in the spring.


 
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References:
Dichotomous Keys:  Kozloff, 1987

General References:
Morris, Abbott, and Haderlie, 1992.
Sept, 1999.

Scientific Articles:
Byrne, M., 1998.  Ultrastructure of autotomy and catch connective tissue regions of the integument of Eupentacta quinquesemita (Holothuroidea).  p 447 in Rich Mooi and Malcolm Telford (eds), Echinderms:  San Francisco.  Proceedings of the ninth international Echinoderm Conference San Francisco, California, USA 5- August 1996.  A.A. Balkema


General Notes and Observations:  Locations, abundances, unusual behaviors, etc.:
 


Authors and Editors of Page:
Kelly Williams (2002):  Created original page
Edited by Hans Helmstetler 12-2002