Large Burrowing Sea Cucumber

Massinium magnum is a sea cucumber from the Phyllophoridae family.

Description

It distinguished by it massive tentacular crown that used for feeding, the body remains buried in sand mostly part of the animal that visible. Have creamy white with dark brown tentacles and tube feet. Have variation color white,black and brown. Size up to 30 cm.

This species feeds by extending its tentacles in the water column to filter out food particles. It then brings each tentacle into its mouth cleaning them off one at a time.

Distribution

Western Pacific Ocean: Philippines, Indonesia to New Caledonia.

Habitat

Inhabits current swept sandy substrates on reef terraces. Found singly buried in gravel, rubble and sandy substrates over current swept coral and rocky reefs.