Chek Jawa

poon cho tang SG

Transparent sea cucumber

This intriguing Sea Cucumber is transparent. You can see the rows of tube feet along the length of the body, and even its insides!

poon cho tang SG

Small spiny Sea Cucumber

This sea cucumber has 'spines' all over its body. These spines are harmless.

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Thorny sea cucumber (Colochirus quadrangularis)

These beautiful, sea cucumbers haver harmless 'thorns'. They have delicate feeding tentacles that gather food from the water.

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Ball sea cucumber (Phyllophorus sp.)

These sea cucumbers are usually buried in the sand, but sometimes some are washed ashore among the seaweeds, or seen among the seagrasses.

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Pencil sea urchin (Prinocidaris bispinosa)

This sea urchin is not often seen. It has spines on its spines!

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Keyhole sand dollar (Echinodiscus truncatus)

This sand dollar has intriguing holes whose purpose is not well understood. It is not as commonly seen as the Cake sand dollar.

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Cake sand dollars (Arachnoides placenta)

These sand dollars are common on Chek Jawa. Living sand dollars are purplishand covered with fine spines. Dead ones are white and smooth as all the spines have fallen off.

poon cho tang SG

Sand Dollars hidden in the sand

Sand dollars usually lie buried just beneath the sand surface, sometimes showing themselves in pretty patterns. A corny but favourite riddle on Chek Jawa is "What do you keep in a Sand Bank?"