What's this? Cozumel

[Scott101]

Greetings,

Just returned from Cozumel and remembered that I had seen something (and got a fuzzy picture) on a morning dive. It looked to me like a tail of a tiger or something. About 3 ft plus long, 2-3 inches in diameter, looked to be green and brown with perhaps while blotches on it. Any ideas?


http://f2.pg.photos.yahoo.com/ph/frasure711/detail?.dir=/4b34&.dnm=a661.jpg

 

[Former FLL Now MSP Diver]

You got the description right. It's called a Tiger Tail Sea Cucumber.

Marc

 

[scubaaggie]

Do they attach themselves to the coral on one side or does it just appear that way? Do they ever come away from the coral?

 

[Scott Riemer]

I saw one of those at Yucab Reef (Cozumel) last week. Definitely a Sea Cucumber. The one I saw was not attached to coral at the time.

 

[scubapolly]

Do they attach themselves to the coral on one side or does it just appear that way? Do they ever come away from the coral?

Not attached. Sea cucumbers (this one included) are echinoderms (think sea stars, sand dollars, and sea urchins). All are mobile.