See text Stichopus is a genus of sea cucumbers from the family Stichopodidae.

[1] Many sea cucumbers are valued as food and as a source of medicine, and Stichopus is a commonly exploited genus.

[citation needed] Stichopus species are important in traditional medicine practices in Malaysia.

A fisher will take the cucumber from the water and place it in a bucket for a few hours to let it pass any sand from its gut.

The fisher will then cut out its intestine and sometimes its respiratory system and gonads, as well, and release the still-living animal.