General Description

Body tapered orally, sometimes short discrete tail anally, thick leathery body wall, smooth. Lacking tube feet, 15 small tentacles each with two pairs of small digits. Yellow to orange to copper to rusty colour. Up to 16 cm long.

Biology

This newly described species was initially identified as Paracaudina australis, a species originally described from tropical waters in Queensland. P. cuprea is sometimes found washed up on beaches, especially after storms.

Habitat

Usually in offshore sediments, sometimes washed-up on beaches, to depth of at least 2 m.

Soft substrates

Coastal shores

Distribution guide

Southern Australia, including western and central Victoria.

Species Group

Sea cucumbers

Depth

Shore (0-1 m)
Shallow (1-30 m)

Water Column

On or near sea floor

Max Size

20 cm

Diet

Organic matter

Commercial Species

No

Global Dispersal

Native to Australia

Identify

• Sea Cucumbers

Conservation Status

• DSE Advisory List : Not listed
• EPBC Act 1999 : Not listed
• IUCN Red List : Not listed