This sea cucumber shoots sticky tubes out of its butt. Its genes hint at how
Holothuria leucospilota’s newly analyzed genome helps explain this predator defense
![A black sea cucumber (Holothuria leucospilota) expels a stringlike substance, called the Cuvierian organ, as a defense against predators like crabs, as shown in this artist’s illustration.](https://i0.wp.com/www.sciencenews.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/041023_di_sea-cucumber_feat.jpg?fit=1030%2C580&ssl=1)
When startled, a black sea cucumber (Holothuria leucospilota) expels a stringlike substance, called the Cuvierian organ, as a defense against predators like crabs, as shown in this artist’s illustration.
Liang Li