On the lagoon’s sandy floor, rori processes the sediment one mouthful at a time. Much of its work happens too slowly to notice on a brief swim.
- Local names
- Rori
About this species
Holothuria atra lives on sandy lagoon bottoms, ingesting sediment to extract organic particles. By moving and processing that sediment, it contributes to the functioning of the lagoon floor. Other sea-cucumber species feed on particles suspended in the water.
This species can reproduce by splitting into two, each portion regenerating the missing parts. It also has a sexual life cycle.
Some sea cucumbers defend themselves by releasing sticky white Cuvierian tubules. Holothuria atra lacks these structures. The Society’s account of using sticky filaments as temporary protection underfoot on the reef belongs to broader traditional knowledge of sea cucumbers, rather than to this species specifically.
