What is a Sea Pig?
You may never have asked the question, “What is a sea pig?” You may never even have heard of it. But I think you’ll still be fascinated to learn about the sea pig here. I must warn you that the language in this video may be questionable to some of you, but I think it’s witty and I hope you will get a chuckle from it.
What is a Sea Pig?
- The “sea pig” is the common name for a species of sea cucumber (in the class Holothuroidea) that lives in the deepest abyssal depths of the world’s oceans.
- Because waters in the Southern Ocean (Antarctica) are so cold, sea pigs can be found in shallower waters around the South Pole.
What is a Sea Pig? – Locomotion
- Sea pigs have enlarged tube feet that have taken on a leg-like appearance. These tubes use water cavities within the skin (rather than within the leg itself) to inflate and deflate the appendages.
- The legs are about 6 inches (15 cm) long and are responsible for the common name “sea pig”.
Credit: MBARI
What is a Sea Pig? – Ecology
- Sea pigs are a deep sea-dwelling species of sea cucumber.
- Sea pigs live on deep ocean bottoms, specifically on the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Ocean, typically at depths of approximately 3.7 miles (6000 meters) under the ocean surface.
- Some related species can be found in the Antarctic.
- Sea pigs have a giant mouth and are deposit feeders, and obtain food by extracting organic particles from deep-sea mud.
- Sea pigs feed on the scum and goo that falls to the bottom of the sea floor from the top of the ocean. They feed on them with the ring of tentacles that surrounds the mouth.
- Sea pigs use olfaction to locate preferred food sources such as whale corpses.
- Sea pigs, like many sea cucumbers, often occur in huge densities,and their populations can fluctuate from year to year by 100-and 1000-fold.
What is a Sea Pig? – More Images
(This image from the Galathea 3 expedition site)
VIDEO CREDITS:
Ocean Networks Canada/ CSSF Ropos
Photos courtesy of Ocean Networks Canada
SOURCES:
Wikipedia.org/wiki/Scotoplanes
What is a Sea Pig? Icky Mushy, Mushy Sea Cucumber Thing? Click To Tweet
A QUESTION FOR YOU: Have you ever heard of the Sea Pig? It’s rather bizarre, isn’t it?
*** Please leave a comment below and remember to share. ***
It’s just sexy!
As always, thank you for taking the time to visit my blog. I appreciate you!
♥ PEACE ♥
*
Disclosure: Animal Bliss is a Natural Wonder Pets affiliate and will earn a (very small) commission from purchases made through links on this website.
(Coffee money – thank you!)
😀
Jeanne Melanson
Latest posts by Jeanne Melanson (see all)
- To Buy or Adopt? How to Save the Life of a Cat - December 13, 2018
- 10 Famous Artists and the Pets Who Inspired Their Success - December 11, 2018
- Cats have Fascinating Superpowers and Other Fun Stuff - December 8, 2018
Related Posts
Rare Goblin Shark Caught in Gulf of Mexico 18 Feet Long Released
Mexican Mole Lizard, 2-Legged Oddball Wormlike Lizard
Rare and Beautiful Zonkey Has Arrived! What is a Zonkey, You Ask?
Wildlife Sanctuaries in Sri Lanka, Serene Tourist Attractions
What is a Sarcastic Fringehead? Can you guess?
Deep Sea Squid With Teeth – Is it Fact or Fiction?
I Love this kind of Stuff; it Fascinates Me! If you Look Online there is a Website that Shows the World’s Weirdest & Ugliest Creatures (I don’t think any creature is Ugly)! It has Pictures of things that I didn’t even know Existed but It’s So Cool & Interesting to Learn New Things and I Am a Huge Animal Lover so it’s Right Up My Ally! Thanks & God Bless! Jana
My 10 y/o son loves things like this! Can’t wait to show him.
Oh good. I hope he enjoys this post, then. I love having young readers. Take care!
I am new to the blog so I don’t know what kind of animals I’d like to read about. This story just caught my eye because I’ve never heard of sea pigs. Very strange!
Yes, they are very odd, aren’t they? Somewhat gruesome, as far as I’m concerned. Thanks for stopping by, Lisa! I appreciate it.
I have seen sea cucumbers but these things are so strange looking. I enjoy learning about new sea creatures. Thank you for sharing
I’m glad that you enjoyed this post, Linda. Thank you for taking the time to stop by, and to comment too! Take care!
A sea pig?!? I had no idea something like that actually exists. Interesting…
You learn something new everyday … lol Thanks for stopping by, Cami! I appreciate you.
I’m finding out about all sorts of creatures I didn’t know about thanks to your blog.
Clara recently posted…Habits of Mind to Stop Panic Attacks
Thank you for your comment, Clara. I’m enjoying learning about them as I present them to you! Glad you’re enjoying it. 😉
Slightly gross! And yet strangely interesting at the same time… I’ve seen a sea cucumber for sale in a Chinese hypermarket. Takes a brave person to eat one of those for the first time; they don’t look very edible! Blessings, Andrea (UBC)
Eww, not sure I could eat one either. No, I know I couldn’t. Wouldn’t. Won’t. lol Thanks for stopping by, Andrea! I appreciate you.