Seacucumber? and mini crab from Wakatobi

According to our dive guide the critter in the first pic is supposed to be a seacucumber. Could anybody help me with the ID of this creature? Also, I could not find an ID for the tiny crab in the second picture.

Thanks for your help,

Kurt

Hi Kurt -- I wonder if the crab might be Calvactaea tumida? Take a look at this pic

http://www.depc.co.kr/bbs/zboard.php?desc=...;sn1=&ss=on

It seems to be frequently photographed sitting in dendronephtyeid soft corals.

The bits in the first photo don't look like any sea cucumber feeding appendages I've seen. Usually they're either finely divided in the species that filter feeder or cauliflower-like for the ones that mop up sediment. I'll post again if I find anything similiar.

Hi Leslie,

The body shape looks very similar, it could be a juvenile Calvactaea tumida.

Thank you.

Hi Canon --

My shrimp guru Sammy pointed out that the "cucumber" is just a deflated soft coral. A huge beautiful dendronephthya like the one with the crab can expel enough water to shrink down to a small clump.