Description: A long tapering body and small white sparsely-branched tentacles are the distinctive features of this sea cucumber. The thin body has a long pointed tail and often lies curved in the sediment in a U-shape. The brown body bears five distinct rows of tube-feet. There are spicules in three layers,large irregular flat plates with numerous holes, smaller round plates with holes and small basket-shaped spicules nearest the surface. Length about 10cm, diameter 1cm or less.

Habitat: Lives buried in muddy sand or mud with only the tentacles visible. Can be common in shallow water with Virgularia mirabilis.

Distribution: Found all round the British Isles.

Similar Species: No other species have the characteristically shaped body.

Key Identification Features:

• 10 small sparsely branched tentacles.
• Buried in muddy sediment.
• Elongate thin tapering body.

Distribution Map from NBN: Leptopentacta elongata at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

iNaturalist: Leptopentacta elongata at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

WoRMS: Leptopentacta elongata at World Register of Marine Species. Accepted name: Paraleptopentacta elongata (Düben & Koren, 1846). AphiaID: 1474372.

Classification: Biota; Animalia; Echinodermata; Echinozoa; Holothuroidea; Actinopoda; Dendrochirotida; Cucumariidae; Leptopentacta