Sophistication in a seemingly simple creature: a review of wild holothurian nutrition in marine ecosystems.

Abstract in brief

• Holothurians, or sea cucumbers, are widespread marine invertebrates that play vital ecological roles, with diverse feeding behaviors and a diet that includes both living and nonliving materials, heavily influenced by bacteria.
• The review explains their feeding mechanisms, highlighting mucus adhesion as the primary method for capturing food particles, and describes their behavior during feeding, including selective intake of fine, organic-rich particles and nutrient absorption through the cloaca.
• It also emphasizes the importance of understanding their morphology, feeding cycles, and diet diversity to better grasp their ecological functions in both shallow and deep-sea ecosystems.