•+Pseudocolochirus+violaceus

**Scientific Classification** Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Echinodermata Class: Holothuroidea Order: Dendrochirotida Family: Cucumariidae Genus: C. pseudocolochirus

**Distribution/ Habitat ** -Inhabit the Indian Ocean and the western part of the Pacific Ocean

-Live on hard material, such as coral reefs, in water as deep as 40 feet (12 meters), in areas with a current, and tropical saltwater bodies

**Physical Characteristics ** -Colorful sea cucumbers about 7 inches (18 centimeters) long - Three rows of tube feet run along the bottom side of the animal -Top side has two rows of tube feet as well as small scattered tube feet -Body is curved so that the mouth and anus point upward  -Ten tentacles, which are bushy purple to red and have white tips  -Pieces of the body wall skeleton are rounded, smooth plates with a few holes.

**Life Cycle/ Reproduction ** -Live partly hidden, to fully exposed with tentacles expanded, even during the day -When disturbed, they can expel their internal organs to distract predators. They may also release a toxic saponin, called "holothurin" into the water. Furthermore, if threatened, or in an unsuitable environment, they can consume large amounts of surrounding seawater to swell to nearly double their original size, this allows them to be moved to a new area by water currents, and much more quickly than they could walk. -Feed continuously, capturing large food particles with outstretched branching tentacles that are lightly coated in mucus -Males release sperm and females release eggs into the water. Wherever they unite the larvae develop the larvae transform into young sea apples that develop into adults.

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**Sources** [] [|http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sea_apple] [|http://www.advancedaquarist.com/issues/mar2003/invert.htm] [|http://www.liveaquaria.com/images/categories/product/p-79817-seaapple.jpg] [|http://anythingsaltwater.com/images/Australian_Sea_Apple.jpg] [|http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3270/2835274945_01005a44c3.jpg] [|http://www.youtube.com/v/XkMfuLeGRFY]