Leptosynapta bergensis

Leptosynapta bergensis is a species of sea cucumber of the family Synaptidae.

Description
This species of holothurian is pink with longitudinal muscle-bands and a slender and soft body. It has twelve pinnate tentacles and no tube-feet. Each tentacle has 8–11 pairs of digits. It grows to 10 - 30 cm.

Distribution
It can be found on all coasts of Great Britain and Ireland and Scandinavia; it is common in Strangford Lough. It is generally found further north than Leptosynapta inhaerens.

Habitat
Leptosynapta bergensis lives from low on shore to over 100 m deep, buried in muddy sand.

Life cycle
Leptosynapta bergensis is gonochoric and has only one gonad. Spawning and fertilization both happen externally. Embryos develop into planktotrophic larvae (auricularia), then into doliolaria (barrel-shaped) and then metamorphose into juvenile sea cucumbers.