Scientific name : Synapta maculata
Phylum : Echinoderma (sea urchins, starfish, sea cucumbers…)
Size : Up to 3 m
Distribution : Indo-Pacific
Biology : With its exceptional size, the snake sea cucumber is the longest sea cucumber in the world; it is even one of the few echinoderms capable of growing larger than a man.
It is a very active animal, constantly ingesting sediment and a film of microorganisms. Its tissues, which are highly toxic, contain spicules – fine calcareous needles – so it has very few predators.
IUCN status : Not assessed