Sea Pigs: How Rare is a Sea Pig, Where Can We Find Them?

Sea pigs are marine animals that one might think resemble their swine counterparts on land due to their given name. In fact, the sea pig (Scotoplanes) is a member of the genus of the same scientific name whose relatives include other deep-ocean sea cucumbers from the family Elpidiidae.

Being invertebrates, these bizarre-looking deep-sea creatures can be found worldwide at a depth from 1,800 feet to 22,000 feet (550 meters to 6,700 meters).

Although sea pigs are abundant, scientists asserted that most people may not see them in their lifetime since they dwell in the deep sea, mainly in the deep seafloor.

This odd-looking type of sea cucumber searches for its meal, such as detritus and organic material, in the depths where sunlight cannot reach, including dead animals, feces, and mucus.

Unless one is a marine scientist engaged in deep-water exploration, seeing Scotoplanes won't be a common occurrence.

Where Are Sea Pigs Found?

Sea pigs are some of the most plentiful marine animals living on the abyssal plain, where the unusual sea cucumbers walk on the seafloor using their elongated tube feet that prevents them from sinking into the soft mud.

According to the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI), these see-through echinoderm sea cucumbers can reach 17 centimeters (6.5 inches).

Despite their common presence and population in all the world's oceans, scientists are still determining to solve mysteries surrounding sea pigs, MBARI stated.

One of these mysteries is that sea pigs are fond of giving a piggyback ride for juvenile king crabs (Lithodidae), even without any clear benefits to them.

Known as the protectors of the baby king crabs, sea pigs provide a higher rate of survival for the crustaceans amid the deep, dark, and dangerous sea floor, according to the non-profit organization Ocean Conservancy.

In other reports, similar behaviors were also seen in other terrestrial animals, specifically between birds and mammals.

How Were Sea Pigs Discovered?

In terms of discovery, sea pigs were first identified by Swedish zoologist Johan Hjalmar Theel while he was traveling the world while aboard the British research vessel HMS Challenger from 1872 to 1876.

The discovery led to the understanding that the abyssal plain sea cucumbers feast on dead algae and animals that have fallen from the ocean surface.

Amid the threat posed by climate change and ocean warming, marine experts clarify that sea pigs are not rare and they are not an endangered species.

Aside from allowing young king crabs to hitchhike on their backs, sea pigs are also known as guardians of the deep-ocean ecosystem since they clean the sea floor of debris that can be harmful to other marine life.

Just like its relatives, sea cucumbers help the marine environments, especially when it comes to nutrient cycling.

In particular, they contribute to reducing organic loads and redistributing surface sediment, as well as enhancing the benthic habitat by excreting inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus.