Sea cucumbers are echinoderms from the class holothuroidea (). they are marine animals with a leathery skin and an elongated body containing a single, branched gonad. sea cucumbers are found on the sea floor worldwide. the number of holothurian () species worldwide is about 1,717, with the greatest number being in the asia-pacific region. many of these are gathered for human consumption and some species are cultivated in aquaculture systems. the harvested product is variously referred to as trepang, namako, bêche-de-mer, or balate. sea cucumbers serve a useful role in the marine ecosystem as they help recycle nutrients, breaking down detritus and other organic matter, after which bacteria...

Source: Wikipedia