The smallest California cuke I have found.
Observation: This is the smallest California cuke I have found so far.
LEO says: It is possible that this is a juvenile that washed ashore. The average size of a California Sea Cucumber (Parastichopus californicus) is estimated to be 20 inches in length when relaxed. These sea cucumbers reach reproductive age at 4 years, and do so by releasing gametes directly in to the water. The fertilized eggs develop in to feeding larvae within five days, and feed on algae in the water column for up to 100 days. Larvae then settle on to the seabed as juveniles and feed on sediment algae. At this stage, growth rates become difficult to measure, and are impacted by season and availability of food. A 2011 Canadian study, funded by the Aquaculture Collaborative Research and Development Program, found that California Sea Cucumber growth rates fluctuate by season. Authors write, "the increase in weight during spring and summer is probably related to the increase in natural food supply from the spring phytoplankton bloom—a conclusion that is supported by increasing temperatures and sediment deposition as well as evidence of water stratification from May to September." E. Mitchell
Resources:
NOAA Fisheries, Alaska Fisheries Science Center – California Sea Cucumber, Parastichopus californicus "is found from the Gulf of Alaska to Baja California, Mexico in the low intertidal zone down to 249 meters [816 feet]."
North American Journal of Fisheries Management – Hannah, L. et al. (2012). Growth Rate of the California Sea Cucumber Parastichopus californicus: Measurement Accuracy and Relationships between Size and Weight Metrics. Volume 32, 2012 - Issue 1
Observations From Members