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Oikopleura (Coecaria) longicauda Morphology With a compact trunk up to 1.4 mm in length, with musculature in the broad tail. The post-cardial caecum joins the genital wall of the esophagus and points dorsally. The long velum extends dorsally over the oral part. The rectum is developed beyond the oral wall of the stomach. The gonads join the coil of the gut (Godeaux et al. 1998; authors’ personal observations). Biogeography A semi-cosmopolitan species in temperate to tropical waters (WoRMS Editorial Board 2017)., Published as part of Franco, P., Dahms, H. - U., Lo, W. - T. & Hwang, J. - S., 2017, Pelagic tunicates in the China Seas, pp. 917-936 in Journal of Natural History 51 (15 - 16) on page 927, DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2017.1293180, http://zenodo.org/record/5180954, {"references":["Godeaux J, Bone Q, Braconnot JC. 1998. Anatomy of Thaliacea. In: Bone Q, editor. The biology of pelagic tunicates. Oxford: Oxford University Press; p. 2 - 24.","WoRMS Editorial Board. 2017. World Register of Marine Species [Internet]. Available from: http: // www. marinespecies. org at VLIZ. doi: 10.14284 / 170"]}

Oikopleura intermedia Morphology The trunk is up to 2.5 mm long. Musculature of the tail is wide. A postcardial caecum is present dorso-genitally. There are wide bays between the genital parts of the left and right lobes of the stomach. The gonads are positioned next to the stomach lobes and the rectum extends beyond the oral wall of the stomach (authors’ personal observations (Marine Species Identification Portal 2017). Biogeography Recorded from Somalia, Mexico, the Mediterranean and the North Atlantic Ocean (WoRMS Editorial Board 2017)., Published as part of Franco, P., Dahms, H. - U., Lo, W. - T. & Hwang, J. - S., 2017, Pelagic tunicates in the China Seas, pp. 917-936 in Journal of Natural History 51 (15 - 16) on page 928, DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2017.1293180, http://zenodo.org/record/5180954, {"references":["Marine Species Identification Portal. 2017. ETI BioInformatics in the KeyToNature programme [Internet]. Available from: http: // species-identification. org /","WoRMS Editorial Board. 2017. World Register of Marine Species [Internet]. Available from: http: // www. marinespecies. org at VLIZ. doi: 10.14284 / 170"]}

Dolioletta gegenbauri Morphology Carrying a small gonozooid (3–9 mm) with a delicate test. The intestine is dextrally coiled and the anus is in a median position. The testis forms an oblique line forward and upward and it extends forward towards the body cavity. The ovary is located ventrolaterally near MVII. The gills form several pairs. They attach anteriorly and dorsally behind MIII, extend rearwards, curve just before MVI and turn forwards to the attachment point at MV. Endostyle is long. Dorsal nerve ganglion is located just behind MIII. The anterior aperture is characterised by a 12-lobed fringe, and the posterior aperture by an eightlobed fringe (authors’ personal observations; Godeaux et al. 1998)). Biogeography Records exist from the central, northern and subtropical south Atlantic Ocean; tropical and temperate south-west Indian Ocean, tropical west and south-west Pacific Ocean; and the Mediterranean Sea (WoRMS Editorial Board 2017)., Published as part of Franco, P., Dahms, H. - U., Lo, W. - T. & Hwang, J. - S., 2017, Pelagic tunicates in the China Seas, pp. 917-936 in Journal of Natural History 51 (15 - 16) on page 929, DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2017.1293180, http://zenodo.org/record/5180954, {"references":["Godeaux J, Bone Q, Braconnot JC. 1998. Anatomy of Thaliacea. In: Bone Q, editor. The biology of pelagic tunicates. Oxford: Oxford University Press; p. 2 - 24.","WoRMS Editorial Board. 2017. World Register of Marine Species [Internet]. Available from: http: // www. marinespecies. org at VLIZ. doi: 10.14284 / 170"]}

Iasis cylindrica Morphology Body elongate and cylindrical and characterised by five body muscles, all of them meeting in the mid-dorsal region. Transverse ribs of gill bar meet dorsally and narrow towards the ventral surface. Solitary zooids measure up to 45 mm length with a soft test. Solitary forms have eight or nine separate muscles extending ventrally. MI to MIV are fused in the mid-dorsal line or converge. Aggregated zooids can measure up to 17 mm in length, and their body is fusiform because of the presence of short anterior and posterior projections (authors’ personal observations; Godeaux et al. 1998). Biogeography Recorded in the North Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico (WoRMS Editorial Board 2017)., Published as part of Franco, P., Dahms, H. - U., Lo, W. - T. & Hwang, J. - S., 2017, Pelagic tunicates in the China Seas, pp. 917-936 in Journal of Natural History 51 (15 - 16) on page 931, DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2017.1293180, http://zenodo.org/record/5180954, {"references":["Godeaux J, Bone Q, Braconnot JC. 1998. Anatomy of Thaliacea. In: Bone Q, editor. The biology of pelagic tunicates. Oxford: Oxford University Press; p. 2 - 24.","WoRMS Editorial Board. 2017. World Register of Marine Species [Internet]. Available from: http: // www. marinespecies. org at VLIZ. doi: 10.14284 / 170"]}

Ihlea punctata Morphology Aggregate form with a thin and fusiform test. Body shape oval to cylindrical. Aggregate form with two rows of pigment spots at each side, from the endostyle to the ventral body surface. Six muscle bands are continuous dorsally but interrupted ventrally. MI– MII unite mid-dorsally, making a group of four muscle bands with MIII and MIV. MV and MVI are united mid-dorsally as well. Ventrally, the muscle bands are asymmetrical. Distinct dextral and sinistral individuals depend on the same morphology. Intestine is coiled. Ovary and embryo are situated on right side between MV and MVI. Solitary form has a thin test which is loosely attached to the body wall. Nine wide body muscles cover almost the whole body. A variable number of body muscles fuse in the mid-dorsal region. Except MVIII all of them are completely continuous around the body. The dorsal tubercle is a short straight stick. The stolon is tightly coiled underneath the nucleus. The length of the aggregated form can be up to 23 mm and the length of the solitary form can reach up to 71 mm (authors’ personal observations; Marine Species Identification Portal 2017). Biogeography Cosmopolitan, eurythermal species of temperate and tropical waters, absent from the Red Sea and the subtropical South Pacific Ocean. Epipelagic, living between the surface and about 150 m water depth. It does not migrate vertically. Although Ihlea punctata has a wide distribution, it is one of the less common salpids (WoRMS Editorial Board 2017)., Published as part of Franco, P., Dahms, H. - U., Lo, W. - T. & Hwang, J. - S., 2017, Pelagic tunicates in the China Seas, pp. 917-936 in Journal of Natural History 51 (15 - 16) on pages 932-933, DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2017.1293180, http://zenodo.org/record/5180954, {"references":["Marine Species Identification Portal. 2017. ETI BioInformatics in the KeyToNature programme [Internet]. Available from: http: // species-identification. org /","WoRMS Editorial Board. 2017. World Register of Marine Species [Internet]. Available from: http: // www. marinespecies. org at VLIZ. doi: 10.14284 / 170"]}

Franco, P., Dahms, H.-U., Lo, W.-T., Hwang, J.-S. (2017): Pelagic tunicates in the China Seas. Journal of Natural History 51 (15-16): 917-936, DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2017.1293180, URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2017.1293180

Cyclosalpa pinnata Morphology Solitary zooids up to 75 mm long with body muscles interrupted dorsally. Dorsal longitudinal muscles are absent. Five pairs of light organs present between MI and MVI. Aggregated zooids measure up to 64 mm in length. Body muscles are symmetrically arranged. MI and MII are fused dorsally; MIII and MIV are not contiguous dorsally but converge (authors’ personal observations; Marine Species Identification Portal 2017). Biogeography Records in the North Atlantic Ocean, North Pacific Ocean, Mediterranean (WoRMS Editorial Board 2017)., Published as part of Franco, P., Dahms, H. - U., Lo, W. - T. & Hwang, J. - S., 2017, Pelagic tunicates in the China Seas, pp. 917-936 in Journal of Natural History 51 (15 - 16) on page 933, DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2017.1293180, http://zenodo.org/record/5180954, {"references":["Marine Species Identification Portal. 2017. ETI BioInformatics in the KeyToNature programme [Internet]. Available from: http: // species-identification. org /","WoRMS Editorial Board. 2017. World Register of Marine Species [Internet]. Available from: http: // www. marinespecies. org at VLIZ. doi: 10.14284 / 170"]}

Soestia zonaria Morphology Aggregate forms of this salp have a large, prismatic body and tough test. The body is posteriorly asymmetrical, with a deep groove both dorsally and ventrally. A single, acentric projection is present at the posterior end. Muscle bands are clear and wide and are all ventrally interrupted; only MI is also dorsally interrupted. MIV and MV are dorsally united. Solitary form with a large body, conspicuously prismatic; tough and firm test. Its muscle bands are extremely wide, almost touching each other laterally. Muscle bands are dorsally and ventrally interrupted. Posterior ends of body with marked pointed projection. The intestine is encircled by the stolon. Aggregate form is up to 60 mm in length. The solitary form is up to 50 mm in length (authors’ personal observations; Marine Species Identification Portal 2017). Biogeography Eurythermal species from all oceans except for the Southern and Arctic oceans (WoRMS Editorial Board 2017)., Published as part of Franco, P., Dahms, H. - U., Lo, W. - T. & Hwang, J. - S., 2017, Pelagic tunicates in the China Seas, pp. 917-936 in Journal of Natural History 51 (15 - 16) on page 931, DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2017.1293180, http://zenodo.org/record/5180954, {"references":["Marine Species Identification Portal. 2017. ETI BioInformatics in the KeyToNature programme [Internet]. Available from: http: // species-identification. org /","WoRMS Editorial Board. 2017. World Register of Marine Species [Internet]. Available from: http: // www. marinespecies. org at VLIZ. doi: 10.14284 / 170"]}

Pegea confoederata Morphology Aggregates form with a loose flabby test. There are no posterior projections or protuberances. MI– MII and MIII–MIV touch or fuse mid-dorsally, each muscle pair forming a cross. Muscle bands are short and interrupted before they reach the mid-lateral region. Stomach is spherical. Solitary forms have a pear-shaped test. MI– MII and M3III–MIV touch or fuse, each pair forming a cross. Gut is compact and encircled by a stolon. The length of the aggregate form is up to 150 mm; the length of the solitary form is up to 120 mm (authors’ personal observations (Marine Species Identification Portal 2017). Biogeography Cosmopolitan, eurythermal species, occurring between ca. 60°N and 45°S. A common salp species. Living near the surface, epipelagic (WoRMS Editorial Board 2017)., Published as part of Franco, P., Dahms, H. - U., Lo, W. - T. & Hwang, J. - S., 2017, Pelagic tunicates in the China Seas, pp. 917-936 in Journal of Natural History 51 (15 - 16) on page 932, DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2017.1293180, http://zenodo.org/record/5180954, {"references":["Marine Species Identification Portal. 2017. ETI BioInformatics in the KeyToNature programme [Internet]. Available from: http: // species-identification. org /","WoRMS Editorial Board. 2017. World Register of Marine Species [Internet]. Available from: http: // www. marinespecies. org at VLIZ. doi: 10.14284 / 170"]}

Salpa fusiformis Morphology Solitary zooids are elongated, having a slightly convex anterior and a square shape cut off posteriorly. Test entirely smooth. Muscles (M)I–III are strongly fused over a broad area in the mid-dorsal region; M8 and M9 are also strongly fused. Dorsal tubercule is small and C-shaped. Nucleus is relatively small and compact. The aggregate zooids are characterised by a barrel-shaped body and typically fusiform with conical anterior and posterior protuberances of the test. Testes are elongated. Asymmetry of the body is a main characteristic. Test entirely smooth and thin. There are six body muscles; MI–MIV strongly fused over a wide area in the mid-dorsal region; MIV–MV fused laterally; MV– MVI strongly fused in the mid-dorsal region. Solitary zooids measure up to 22–52 mm, while the aggregated zooids are up to 7–52 mm long (excluding projections) (authors’ personal observations; Godeaux et al. 1998). Biogeography Cosmopolitan, eurythermal species, occurring from 70°N to 45°S in the Atlantic Ocean, to 45°S in the Indian Ocean and from 50°N to 45°S in the Pacific Ocean. S. fusiformis has got the widest distribution of all salp species, and it is also one of the most abundant species. Distributed from the surface to ca. 800 m depth; seems to perform diurnal vertical migration (WoRMS Editorial Board 2017)., Published as part of Franco, P., Dahms, H. - U., Lo, W. - T. & Hwang, J. - S., 2017, Pelagic tunicates in the China Seas, pp. 917-936 in Journal of Natural History 51 (15 - 16) on page 932, DOI: 10.1080/00222933.2017.1293180, http://zenodo.org/record/5180954, {"references":["Godeaux J, Bone Q, Braconnot JC. 1998. Anatomy of Thaliacea. In: Bone Q, editor. The biology of pelagic tunicates. Oxford: Oxford University Press; p. 2 - 24.","WoRMS Editorial Board. 2017. World Register of Marine Species [Internet]. Available from: http: // www. marinespecies. org at VLIZ. doi: 10.14284 / 170"]}