drawings showing generalised life cycle of a sea cucumberIn laboratory culture of eggs of Parastichopus californicus a blastula stage is reached after 24h, a hatched gastrula by 64h, and a feeding auricularia larva after 13d at 10-12oC). Metamorphosis is of a gradual kind, first to a doliolaria stage occurring at 65-125d, and then to a pentacula stage occurring 1-2d later. The early pentacula remains pelagic at first, but then, as more adult features develop, settles to the sea bottom. The young photograph of juvenile sea cucumber Parastichopus californicuspentacula can crawl about using its tube feet and tentacles. Sexual maturity is attained after about 4yr in field populations. Cameron & Fankboner 1989 J Exp Mar Biol Ecol 127: 43.
NOTE lit. “jar” L.
A juvenile Parastichopus californicus.
At this early age the tubercules retain features of the tube feet from which they ancestrally derive 1X