Furry Sea Cucumber

Astichopus multifidus

Astichopus multifidus, commonly known as the furry sea cucumber, is a robust and soft-bodied species that can grow up to 40 cm in length and 10 cm in width. Its body is chocolate brown or dark grey, often mottled with lighter patches or adorned with small white spots. The dorsal and ventral surfaces are covered with numerous tube feet, with the dorsal side featuring fleshy conical projections called papillae that can reach about 1 cm in length. This distinctive appearance helps differentiate it from other sea cucumbers in its habitat. This species is native to the Caribbean, inhabiting sandy seabeds near reefs and occasionally in seagrass meadows. It can be found at depths ranging from 10 to 30 m, although its overall distribution extends from the West Indies and southern Florida down to Colombia and Venezuela. Astichopus multifidus typically spends the day buried in the sand and emerges at night to feed as a scavenger and detritivore, consuming sediment and extracting organic matter as it passes through its gut. Breeding occurs through external fertilization, with embryos developing into planktonic larvae before metamorphosing into juvenile sea cucumbers. Divers may encounter this species while exploring sandy substrates, often observing its unique movement as it crawls or rolls, and occasionally makes rapid progress by bounding. The IUCN has assessed Astichopus multifidus as being of "Least Concern," although it may face increased exploitation as other sea cucumber stocks decline in the region.