Leopard Sea Cucumber, Holothuria pardalis

Leopard Sea Cucumber, Holothuria pardalis. Fairly common in the tidal pools of the greater Los Cabos area of Baja Calornia Sur. Length: 13 cm (5.1 inches).

The Leopard Sea Cucumber, Holothuria (Lessonothuria) pardalis (Selenka, 1867) is a member of Holothuriidae Family of Sea Cucumbers, that is known in Mexico as pepino de mar de azufre. They are light brown, mottled gray or white in color. Most have a paired series of dark spots along their dorsal surface. They have a round tubular body that is thin and flexible. Their dorsal surface is covered with small papillae and their oral tentacles are fairly short. The Leopard Sea Cucumber is small in stature reaching a maximum length of 12 cm (4.7 inches).

The Leopard Sea Cucumber reside on reef flats, under rocks, on mud and sand and is sea grass beds and are found in tidal pools from the intertidal zone to depths up to 127 m (417 feet). They have a wide distribution ranging from the the Indo-pacific to the Eastern Pacific Ocean. In Mexican waters they are residents of the Pacific but have a limited distribution being found from Loreto, Baja California Sur, south along the coast of the mainland to Guatemala.

From a conservation perspective the Leopard Sea Cucumber is currently considered to be of Least Concern with stable, widely distributed populations. They are not deemed of value or utilized by humans at any significant level.

Synonyms include Holothuria peregrina, Holothuria tenuicornis, and Lessonothuria pardalis.