see Taxonomy Chiridotidae is a family of sea cucumbers found in the order Apodida.

[3][4][5] However, their body structure does include ossicles, tentacles, a calcareous ring, and a ciliary urn.

[8] Different species have adapted to the harsh conditions of deep-sea life, but because they primarily feed off detritus, they do not starve.

There is an amino acid peptide called Stichopin that affects the stiffness in the body wall, connective tissues, and the contraction of muscles.

Cells that contain the amino acid peptide, Stichopin, have been found within the connective tissues of the Chiridotidae.

[13] The muscles that undergo catch manifestations exhibit reversible stiffening and softening properties.

[13][11] The muscles that undergo autonomy manifestations exhibit irreversible softening allowing for the loss of body parts.

[12] When sea cucumbers go though an autonomic loss of an organ, it regrows from the muscles that anchor them to the body wall.

[7] In the genus Chiridota, the ossicles attached to the body wall often occur in small clusters that are adjacent to the radii.

[3] For example, the Myriotrochid genus has teeth located in the inner margin and they can be either large and pronounced or completely absent.

[7] In Chiridotidae the ring is composed of dense labyrinthic stereom, that is thickest in the center of the plate.

[5] The genus Gymnopipina has short anterior projections in the calcareous ring and a madreporite sitting at the end of the long stone canal that has allowed scientists to classify it in the family Chiridotidae.

[4] Because of the lack of podia, tube feet, it is assumed that species use their anchors to hold onto the substratum.

[2] The benthic sediments that they consume as food contain fungal, bacterial, and detrital organic matter.

[18] Amongst all sea cucumbers, tentacles are linked to the mode of feeding conducted by the organism.

[18] Tentacles respond to changes in light at a molecular level, the response shown as a full body contraction when exposed.

[9] The rheotaxis response of their tentacles to water flow allows for muscles to turn when activated.

[2] The burrowing behavior of sea cucumbers within the family Chiridotidae is effected by the salinity and temperature of the water around them.