Identification Photos: Bottleneck Sea Cucumber, Holothuria impatiens: The Bottleneck Sea Cucumber has a round tubular body which is larger at one end than the other. The Bottleneck Sea Cucumber is covered by conical spikes known as papillae which have black tips, and it has a dark brown to purple body coloration.

The Bottleneck Sea Cucumber reaches a maximum length of 6 inches and is normally found in the first 50 feet of the water column. It is found throughout the Sea of Cortez and along the coast of mainland Mexico south to Guatemala; it is absent from the Pacific side of Baja California and from around all oceanic islands. The Bottleneck Sea Cucumber is not easily confused with other species of sea cucumbers.

The Bottleneck Sea Cucumber (also called the Brown Spotted Sea Cucumber, Impatient Sea Cucumber, and Six Banded Sea Cucumber) is a member of the Holothuriidae Family whose members are close relatives of Starfish, Brittle Stars, Sand Dollars and Sea Urchins. They are shaped somewhat like their plant namesakes, being soft, slug-like organisms often with a tough, wart-like leathery outside skin.

There are approximately 1,500 Sea Cucumbers known globally. Most of these species are non-swimmers and lie on their sides at the bottom of the ocean. They do not have formal eyes. Their mouths are located at one end, surrounded by 8 to 30 modified tube feet or tentacles and the anus is at the other end. The tentacles secrete a sticky filamentous mucus, used to capture small planktonic organisms upon which they feed. Each tentacle is periodically wiped off within the esophagus and then brought out again with a fresh supply of mucus.

Most Sea Cucumbers have tube feet on their bodies enabling the animal to move about slowly. They have few predators and thus are normally well exposed. They are known as “the earthworms of the sea” feeding on algae, sand and related waste materials contributing to enrich the marine environment. When irritated Sea Cucumbers can either eject a portion of their intestines trying to gross out their attackers, or allow a section of their body to break off which they can quickly regenerate. Only one species of Sea Cucumber is sold commercially in Asia as a delicacy when cooked, dried or in soups.

Bottleneck Sea Cucumber, Holothuria impatiens: Caught with Capt. Pata in the panga Salome, at La Playita, San Jose del Cabo (Los Cabos), Baja California Sur, Mexico, in 70-degree water, mid-morning in March 2004, off the bottom, in 150 foot water, several miles out at sea, utilizing a 6-inch chrome yo-yo iron and 30-pound test. Size approximately 6 inches and approximately one-half pound and yielded a “what the hell is this?” We caught another one in an identical fashion in the same location in May 2004. The first picture is the top side and second picture is of the bottom side, with the head to the left, illustrating the release of the stick filamentous mucus. Species identification courtesy Keoki Stender, coralreefnetwork.com, Honolulu. Description and photos courtesy John Snow.