Sea pigs (Scotoplanes) are one of the most commonly sighted animals on the deep seafloor off Monterey Bay—but plentiful hardly means boring. Unlike most sea cucumbers, which have stumpy tube feet tucked beneath their bodies, sea pigs use their long, stilt-like tube feet to suspend their bodies above the soft mud. Huge groups have been spotted feasting near sunken whale carcasses.
Fast Facts
Maximum size: 17 centimeters (6.5 inches)
Depth: 1,000–6,000 meters (3,300–19,500 feet)
Habitat: abyssal plains
Range: worldwide
Diet: decomposing organic material