Individual (~2cm bl) blastozooid from a string. © Peter J. Bryant

Salp

Salpa fusiformis

Thanks to kayakers Joanne and Doug Schwartz, who found these animals off the coast of Orange County, CA. 6-27-12 to 6-30-12 and helped with the photography.

Tunicata: Thaliacea

Salp Life History
How salps shut down a nuclear power plant

Back to Tunicates of Orange County, California
Back to Natural History of Orange County, California


Individual blastozooid. Many of the internal body parts are visible in these largely transparent animals. © Peter J. Bryant

Detail of ganglion and eye. © Peter J. Bryant

Detail of eye, ganglion, and radiating nerve fibers. © Peter J. Bryant

Detail of gill (filter) and endostyle. © Peter J. Bryant

Detail of heart and intestine. © Peter J. Bryant Video of heartbeat (Joanne Schwartz, producer)

String of salps from the South Newport Jetty southeast along the Crystal Cove coast, Orange County, CA. 6-27-12 to 6-30-12. The individuals are produced by asexual budding from a solitary initiating individual, called an oozooid. They start off as females and then turn into males, and the younger females are fertilised by the older males in the chain. © Joanne and Doug Schwartz.

String of salps from the South Newport Jetty southeast along the Crystal Cove coast, Orange County, CA. 6-27-12 to 6-30-12. © Joanne and Doug Schwartz.

Individuals and string of salps from the South Newport Jetty southeast along the Crystal Cove coast, Orange County, CA. 6-27-12 to 6-30-12. © Joanne and Doug Schwartz.

Individuals and strings of salps from the South Newport Jetty southeast along the Crystal Cove coast, Orange County, CA. 6-27-12 to 6-30-12. © Joanne and Doug Schwartz.

Individuals and strings of salps from the South Newport Jetty southeast along the Crystal Cove coast, Orange County, CA. 6-27-12 to 6-30-12. © Joanne and Doug Schwartz.

Individuals and strings of salps from the South Newport Jetty southeast along the Crystal Cove coast, Orange County, CA. 6-27-12 to 6-30-12. © Joanne and Doug Schwartz.

Left-and right-handed individuals alternate along the string. © Joanne and Doug Schwartz.

Left-and right-handed individuals alternate along the string. © Joanne and Doug Schwartz.