Description

Also known as Blotchy Sea Cucumber, Stonefish Sea Cucumber, Tripang, White-bottomed Sea Cucumber, White Patch Sea Cucumber.

Found singly, during the day in sandy areas, under large coral and rubble, over reef slopes, of shallow, sheltered, coastal reefs. Dark colour, sometimes mottled appearance with a white/greyish rump.
They feed nocturnally on dead and live corals.
Length - 25cm
Depth - 1-20m
Widespread Indo-Pacific

Some sea cucumbers crawl around on the bottom slowly filtering sand through their tentacles to gather food, while others spread their tentacles above them to capture plankton. A number of sea cucumbers feed nocturnally while others feed by day.
There are sea cucumbers that hardly move while others are more active often perching on tall sponges to feed.
Sea cucumbers often attract hitch-hikers like shrimps and crabs that crawl over their skin, also pearlfish that enter via their anus.
As a means of defence sea cucumbers can expel their intestines or respiratory organs in the form of sticky threads, but these can quickly regenerate.
Juveniles often mimic sea slugs.
Some types of sea cucumbers are edible and considered a delicacy in the Far East countries. (edit) Ref: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Actinopyga_lecanora