Pineapple Sea Cucumber

One of the largest sea cucumbers in the world, this species can reach up to 75 centimetres in length and is easily recognized by the conical, fleshy protrusions covering its dorsal surface, which give it a spiny, pineapple-like appearance. It moves slowly across reef substrates, feeding on organic detritus and sediment, which it processes and expels as cleaned sand — a function that helps recycle nutrients and maintain the health of surrounding benthic habitats. As with other holothurians, it plays a quiet but significant role in maintaining seafloor sediment quality on coral reefs.

The species inhabits shallow marine neritic waters, typically found on sandy or rubble substrates near coral reefs at depths from a few meters down to around 30 meters. Its range spans the Indo-Pacific and parts of the western Indian Ocean, with recorded populations in Australia, Japan, China, India, Palau, Guam, the Cook Islands, Tuvalu, and island nations including Madagascar, Seychelles, Comoros, Mayotte, and Réunion, as well as coastal Kenya and South Africa.

The primary threat is direct harvesting for the international trade in "bêche-de-mer" (dried sea cucumber), a high-value commodity in Asian markets. Because of its large size and market desirability, it is heavily targeted, and populations have declined sharply in accessible reef areas due to unregulated or poorly monitored fishing.

Conservation responses include export bans, harvest quotas, and size limits imposed by some range states, along with CITES-related monitoring discussions given its inclusion in international trade concern. Enforcement remains inconsistent across its wide range.

Populations continue to decline overall, and without stronger enforcement of existing harvest controls, recovery is unlikely in the near term.