Pyrosomatidae
Sign in to saveAlso known as Pyrosomida, Pyrosome
Pyrosomes are free-floating colonial tunicates in family Pyrosomatidae. Pyrosomes consist of colonies of small zooids. There are three genera, Pyrosoma, Pyrosomella and Pyrostremma, and eight species. They usually live in the upper layers of the open ocean in warm seas, although some may be found at greater depths. Pyrosomes exhibit bioluminescence, and the name Pyrosoma derives from the Greek words pyro, meaning "fire", and soma, meaning "body". Pyrosomes are hermaphroditic and reproduce via a two-part process. They have the ability to create massive blooms that may affect pelagic food webs.
~13 min read
Encyclopedic overview
11 sectionsContents
- Description
- Anatomy and morphology
- Bioluminescence
- Reproduction
- Food chain niche
- Taxonomy
- Geographic distribution
- Blooms
- References
- Bibliography
- External links
Pyrosomes are free-floating colonial tunicates in family Pyrosomatidae. Pyrosomes consist of colonies of small zooids. There are three genera, Pyrosoma, Pyrosomella and Pyrostremma, and eight species. They usually live in the upper layers of the open ocean in warm seas, although some may be found at greater depths. Pyrosomes exhibit bioluminescence, and the name Pyrosoma derives from the Greek words pyro, meaning "fire", and soma, meaning "body". Pyrosomes are hermaphroditic and reproduce via a two-part process. They have the ability to create massive blooms that may affect pelagic food webs.
== Description == Pyrosomes are commonly called "sea pickles", due to their tube-like gelatinous structure. Other nicknames include "sea worms", "sea squirts", "fire bodies", and "cockroaches of the sea".
Excerpted from Wikipedia’s “Pyrosomatidae” article, available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 licence.