Chiridota albatrossii
Source-cited species reference: taxonomy from WoRMS, biology from SeaLifeBase, occurrence map from GBIF, description from Wikipedia.
Last updated
Distribution map plotted from GBIF.org occurrence records; basemap Natural Earth 110m · GBIF records CC0 / CC BY; Natural Earth public domain
Chiridota albatrossii, commonly known as the Albatross footless sea cucumber, jellybean sea cucumber, or, is a species of sea cucumber native to the North Pacific Ocean, including the waters of the Russian Far East, northern Japan, western Canada, and Alaska. First collected by the steamship Albatross in 1903, it was described by Charles Lincoln Edwards in 1907.
Scientific classification
- KingdomAnimalia
- PhylumEchinodermata
- ClassHolothuroidea
- OrderApodida
- FamilyChiridotidae
- GenusChiridota
- SpeciesChiridota albatrossii
Named by Edwards, 1907
Sources: Wikipedia taxobox: Chiridota albatrossii (CC BY-SA 4.0) · order, family and genus agree with WoRMS AphiaID 528864 (CC BY 4.0)
How big is it?
Largest length in the source, 0.25 m, next to a 1.8 m person.
Diagram: drawn by Codexery, schematic shapes to scale (not a likeness). Length: SeaLifeBase species summary
Where the chiridota albatrossii has been recorded
Each dot is a place where the species has been observed and reported (67 records, half-degree grid) — not a modelled range. 8 inland records left out (institution coordinates).
Map: drawn by Codexery. Data: GBIF occurrence search (records CC0 / CC BY) · Natural Earth basemap (public domain) · place coordinates: Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0)
Classification (WoRMS)
Full classification as recorded by WoRMS: Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Echinodermata · Class: Holothuroidea · Order: Apodida · Family: Chiridotidae · Genus: Chiridota.
Accepted name: Chiridota albatrossii · Authority: Edwards, 1907 · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 528864.
Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=528864 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.
Biology and life history (SeaLifeBase)
Measured values published by SeaLifeBase for Chiridota albatrossii. Only fields the database actually holds for this species are shown; these are database values, not aquarium guidance.
Maximum length: 25 cm · Habitat zone: benthic · Vulnerability index: 15 of 100.
Source: SeaLifeBase species summary (SpecCode 84757) — https://www.sealifebase.se/summary/Chiridota-albatrossii.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-25.
Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)
67 georeferenced occurrence records for Chiridota albatrossii are published through GBIF from 3 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 22 distinct locations from a sample of 67 records, omitting 8 inland records that carry an institution's coordinates rather than a collection site; it shows where the species has been observed and reported, not a modelled range.
Most records by country or area: Canada (34); United States of America (29); Russian Federation (4).
Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 5967180) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=5967180&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=528864 (CC BY 4.0); Natural Earth 110m basemap — https://www.naturalearthdata.com/ (public domain). Accessed 2026-09-25.
Description and natural history (Wikipedia)
Chiridota albatrossii was described by American zoologist Charles Lincoln Edwards in 1907 based on specimens collected by the United States Bureau of Fisheries steamship Albatross during a 1903 investigation into Alaskan salmon stocks. Edwards noted this new species was similar to Chiridota laevis but could be differentiated by its larger size and the structure of the ossicles.
The description C. albatrossii was included alongside discussion of the other sea cucumber specimens collected by the Albatross in a scientific paper published in the Proceedings of the United States National Museum. The type is held in the collection of the United States National Museum. C. albatrossii was first collected from the north-western Pacific Ocean during another expedition of the Albatross in the summer of 1906.
Chiridota albatrossii is known from the Northern Pacific Ocean in the sublittoral to bathyal zones at depths of 46-1000 m. This range includes the waters of western Canada, northern Japan, eastern Russia, and the north-western United States (Alaska). In the east of its range off western North America it is known from Queen Charlotte Sound and off Vancouver Island in Canada and from Behm Canal, Boca de Quadra, Naha Bay, and Clarence Strait in Alaska. In the west of its range in Japan and Russia it is known from southern Sakhalin (Aniva Bay and Cape Patience), the Nemuro Strait, Kunashir Island, Rebun Island, and on the eastern and southern shores of Hokkaido.
Source: Wikipedia: Chiridota albatrossii — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiridota_albatrossii (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-25.
Sources
Compiled from Wikipedia and the sources listed below. Text from Wikipedia is available under CC BY-SA 4.0; this entry is adapted from it.
- Wikipedia: Chiridota albatrossii (CC BY-SA 4.0).
- Classification: the source article's taxobox; order, family and genus checked against WoRMS, the World Register of Marine Species (CC BY 4.0).
- Occurrence records: GBIF (CC0 / CC BY). Basemap: Natural Earth (public domain).
- Biology values: SeaLifeBase species summary (CC BY-NC 3.0, non-commercial).
- Word definitions: the , each quoted from its Wikipedia article.
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