Sea cucumber

High school (ages 12+)
Animals & Nature

Name:

Date:

Step 1 · Read the article

Open the article and read it at the level above. Then answer the questions below in your own words.

https://smallwhale.org/articles/sea-cucumber

Write what each word means, using the article.

Do not copy the article. Write two things you learned, the way you would explain them to a friend.

Answers below are taken from the article’s stored facts, so they match what the student read.

1. What is the scientific name?Holothuroidea
2. What is the habitat?All oceans globally, from intertidal zones to abyssal plains and trenches
3. How do sea cucumbers help the ocean?They eat lots of organic food in the sand, moving it around and letting oxygen reach deeper layers, which keeps the sea floor healthy for many other creatures.
4. Why do sea cucumbers sometimes throw out their organs?When a predator comes close, a sea cucumber can drop its internal organs to escape, then grow new ones back later.

Benthic Environment: The ecological region at the lowest level of a body of water, including the sediment surface and some sub-surface layers.
Bioturbation: The disturbance of sedimentary deposits by living organisms, significantly impacting sediment structure and chemistry.
Detritivore: An organism that feeds on dead organic matter (detritus), playing a vital role in decomposition and nutrient cycling.
Evisceration: A defense mechanism where an animal expels its internal organs, often followed by regeneration.