Student Article
The Poop-Propelled "Headless Chicken Monster" of the Deep Sea
Transparent (adjective): Allowing light to pass through, making objects behind visible.
Microbial (adjective): Related to microorganisms like bacteria.
Sediment (noun): Particles of sand, silt, and other materials that settle at the bottom of a liquid.
Voids (verb): Empties.
Ballast (noun): A heavy material used to add weight or stability to something.
Aerate (verb): To add air to something or to let air move through it.
Ecological (adjective): Relating to the environment, ecosystems, or the relationships between living organisms and their surroundings.
Illuminate (verb): To light up.
Gelatinous (adjective): Having a jelly-like thick and gooey texture.
Slough (verb): To shed or remove a layer of skin.
The Enypniastes eximia sea cucumber, also known as the "headless chicken monster," is a remarkable deep-sea creature. It feeds on marine snow and has a transparent digestive tract, making it a unique and fascinating inhabitant of the ocean depths.
What is Enypniastes eximia?
Enypniastes eximia is a sea cucumber that resembles a headless chicken. It grows to about 10 inches (25 cm) long and has a translucent, ruby-red body. This species lives in deep oceans, including near Antarctica, at depths ranging from 0.3 miles (500 meters) to 3.7 miles (6,000 meters). It was first discovered in the 1870s during the HMS Challenger expedition.
How does it eat?
Enypniastes eximia feeds on marine snow, which consists of dead plankton and their feces bound together by microbial glue. It uses its tentacles to shovel sediment into its mouth. Its coiled digestive tract, filled with pale sediment, is visible through its transparent body. Before swimming, it voids its guts, releasing cleaned sediment, similar to dumping ballast from a hot air balloon. This behavior helps mix and aerate the seabed.
Why is it special?
Enypniastes eximia can swim by waving its webbed cloak, allowing it to lift off the seabed without expending much energy. Its see-through digestive tract allows scientists to observe its feeding process. This sea cucumber plays an important ecological role, similar to earthworms on land, by mixing and aerating the seabed.
How does it protect itself?
Enypniastes eximia can illuminate its body to deter predators. If something bumps into it, its gelatinous skin lights up and sloughs off, creating a glowing cloud. This acts like a burglar alarm, revealing the predator's presence while Enypniastes eximia escapes. Laboratory studies have shown that it can quickly regrow its skin and retain its ability to glow.
© Dr. Helen Scales / Our Media
Transparent (adjective): Allowing light to pass through, making objects behind visible.
Microbial (adjective): Related to microorganisms like bacteria.
Sediment (noun): Particles of sand, silt, and other materials that settle at the bottom of a liquid.
Voids (verb): Empties.
Ballast (noun): A heavy material used to add weight or stability to something.
Aerate (verb): To add air to something or to let air move through it.
Ecological (adjective): Relating to the environment, ecosystems, or the relationships between living organisms and their surroundings.
Illuminate (verb): To light up.
Gelatinous (adjective): Having a jelly-like thick and gooey texture.
Slough (verb): To shed or remove a layer of skin.