[1] Members of the family Holothuriidae have thick fleshy bodies and several rows of tube feet which are used for moving around and for adhering to the surface.

Many of the members of this family are able to eject a mass of fine sticky threads known as cuvierian tubules to distract predators, or even turn their viscera inside out.

Actinopyga is also equipped with anal teeth (modified podia), and never throw out Cuvieran tubules, just like Pearsonothuria.

Members of this family occur throughout the oceans of the world at low to middle latitudes.

They often live in coral reefs and nearby sandy habitat types, and a few occur in deeper waters.