Holothuria mexicana
The Holothuria mexicana, nicknamed the Donkey Dung Sea Cucumber, is an echinoderm commonly found in the Caribbean that can grow to 20 inches of length.
The usual size for this sea cucumber's sexual maturity spans around five to eight inches. During spawning, or the release of eggs, females forcefully expel their eggs into the water from a single burst of an opening called the gonopore. During the process of spawning, sometimes both the male and female wave around their tentacles, which aids in the process of fertilization by mixing the sperm and egg. After fertilization, the eggs develop into a larvae. |