Sea Cucumbers

Below are a few examples of sea cucumbers living on Pacific Northwest shores. The photos are from northern Oregon unless noted. My organization loosely follows Lamb and Hanby (2005) and common names, if I use them, are my choice. These cucumbers, and many more, are covered by experts in the books, field guides, and identification resources listed at the bottom of the page.

Cucumaria miniata Orange Sea Cucumber

I haven’t encountered them on exposed northern Oregon shores, but that doesn’t mean you won’t.

Orange sea cucumbers Cucumaria miniata back in a crevice.
Galiano Island
A portion of an orange sea cucumber Cucumaria miniata, mostly hidden under blades of Ulva.
Orcas Island
Two orange sea cucumbers Cucumaria miniata in a horizontal crevice.
Galiano Island
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Cucumaria pseudocurata Tar Spot Sea Cucumber

A tar spot sea cucumber Cucumaria pseudocurata perched on the hinge of a detached empty mussel shell resting on the beach.


Tar spots can be abundant in the mussel beds where, even so, it’s rare to catch a glimpse. These were exposed by harvesters.

Several tar spot sea cucumbers Cucumaria pseudocurata clustered together on a discarded mass of detached California mussels and thatched barnacles discarded by harvesters.
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Paracaudina chilensis

Closeup of two beachcast Paracaudina chilensis on wet sand.


Those I’ve seen have all been about the same size.

Closeup of a beachcast rattail cucumber Paracaudina chilensis on wet sand. 15 cm rule for scale.
Closeup of a beachcast rattail cucumber Paracaudina chilensis and a sea gooseberry Pleurobrachia on wet sand. 15 cm rule for scale.
Closeup of a beachcast rattail cucumber Paracaudina chilensis on wet sand. 15 cm rule for scale.


Rattails, as they are sometimes called, occasionally show up in large numbers on beaches in seemingly unpredictable beach casts. The set of images below shows some scenes from just such an event.

About 20 beachcast rattail cucumbers Paracaudina chilensis on the sand. 15 cm rule for scale.
A beachcast Paracaudina chilensis on raindrop dimpled sand. A Zostera blade and four small bleached Velella velella share the scene.
Closeup of a beachcast rattail cucumber Paracaudina chilensis on wet sand.
Closeup of two beachcast Paracaudina chilensis on the sand.
A beachcast rattail cucumber Paracaudina chilensis rests next to its impression in the sand.
Closeup of a beachcast rattail cucumber Paracaudina chilensis on wet sand.
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References

Gotshall, D. W. 2005. Guide to Marine Invertebrates, Alaska to Baja California 2nd Edition (Revised). Shoreline Press.

Harbo, R. M. 2011. Whelks to Whales: Coastal Marine Life of the Pacific Northwest. 2nd ed. Harbour Publishing Co.

Kozloff, E. N. 1993. Seashore Life of the Northern Pacific Coast. 3rd ed. University of Washington Press.

Lamb, A. and B. P. Hanby. 2005. Marine Life of the Pacific Northwest. Harbour Publishing.

Sept. J. D. 2019. The New Beachcomberā€™s Guide to the Pacific Northwest. Harbour Publishing.


Online Resources

Kelly Williams (2002 as edited). Cucumaria miniata (Brandt, 1835). Invertebrates of the Salish Sea. Rosario Beach Marine Laboratory. Accessed September 2, 2025.

Friends of Netarts Bay WEBS Echinoderms page. Accessed September 2, 2025.

Itā€™s worth scrolling down to sea cucumbers in Common Sea Life of Southeastern Alaska: A field guide by Aaron Baldwin & Paul Norwood. Accessed September 2, 2025.


I updated this page on September 2, 2025