Elasipodida is an
order
Order, ORDER or Orders may refer to:
* A socio-political or established or existing order, e.g. World order, Ancien Regime, Pax Britannica
* Categorization, the process in which ideas and objects are recognized, differentiated, and understood
...
of
sea cucumber
Sea cucumbers are echinoderms from the class (biology), class Holothuroidea ( ). They are benthic marine animals found on the sea floor worldwide, and the number of known holothuroid species worldwide is about 1,786, with the greatest number be ...
s. They have numerous appendages, including conical papillae and leaf-like tentacles. Although many species are
benthic
The benthic zone is the ecological region at the lowest level of a body of water such as an ocean, lake, or stream, including the sediment surface and some sub-surface layers. The name comes from the Ancient Greek word (), meaning "the depths". ...
, a number are
pelagic
The pelagic zone consists of the water column of the open ocean and can be further divided into regions by depth. The word ''pelagic'' is derived . The pelagic zone can be thought of as an imaginary cylinder or water column between the sur ...
, and may have their appendages modified to form sails or fins. Most members of the order inhabit deep-sea environments, such as the species of the genus ''
Enypniastes''.
Classification
The following families are recognised in the order Elasipodida:
* family
Elpidiidae Théel, 1882
* family
Laetmogonidae Ekman, 1926
* family †
Palaeolaetmogonidae Reich, 2012
* family
Pelagothuriidae Ludwig, 1893
* family
Psychropotidae Théel, 1882
* family
Deimatidae?
Théel, 1882 Synonym of ''
Benthodytes'', ''
Psycheotrephes'', and ''
Psychropotes''.
Image:Pelagothuria natatrix.jpg, The only true pelagic echinoderm known to date : '' Pelagothuria natatrix'' (here close to the Galapagos).
Image:Expl0790 - Flickr - NOAA Photo Library.jpg, '' Benthodytes sp.''
Image:Scotoplanes globosa and crab.jpg, '' Scotoplanes globosa'' (a.k.a. "sea pig", family Elpidiidae)
Image:Expl5475.jpg, A Pelagothuriidae
Image:Expl5494.jpg, A Psychropotidae
References
*
*
Notes
Echinoderm orders
{{Holothuroidea-stub