Lohmann, 1896

Description
A small species, with an allongated but small trunk compared to the very long and broad tail. The tail is weak because the broad chordal muscles are poorly developed; at the left distal part are four fusiform sub-chordal glands in one line.
In mature specimens, the ovary and the two lateral testes form a round mass restricted in the genital part, giving a characteristic aspect to the trunk.
The mouth has a short lower lip. The endostyle is short and narrow, situated about half way the mouth and anus. There are two voluminous and rounded buccal glands. The left lobe of the stomach is rounded, with a very small post cardial caecum, appearing reniform.

Size
Trunk length 0.8 mm, tail 2.0 mm.

Depth range
Preferably from 100 to >650 m, rare in the surface layers.

Distribution in the North Sea
Northern North Sea.

World distribution
Semi-cosmopolitan in cold and warm waters of the North and South Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. Also in the Mediterranean Sea. In the NE Atlantic as north of 81°N (north of Spitzbergen).

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Subphylum Tunicata
Class Appendicularia
Family Oikopleuridae
Genus Oikopleura
Species Oikopleura parva

Status in World Register of Marine Species

Not included in WoRMS database

Scientific synonyms and common names

Oikopleura najadis | Uebel, 1913
Oikopleura (Vexillaria) parva | Lohmann, 1933

Bückmann, A. and H. Kapp, 1975. Taxonomic characters used for the distinction of species of Appendicularia. Mitteilungen aus dem Hamburgischen Zoologischen Museum und Institut, 72: 201-228.

Fenaux, R., 1967. Les appendiculaires des mers d'Europe et du Bassin Méditerranéen. Faune de l'Europe et du Bassin Méditerranéen, 2. Masson et Cie., Paris. 116 pp., 57 figs.

Fenaux, R., 1998. The classification of Appendicularia. In: Q. Bone (ed.), 1998. The biology of pelagic tunicates. Oxford University Press, Oxford. pp 295-306.

Fraser, J.H., 1981. British pelagic tunicates. Synopses of the British Fauna (New Series), No. 20. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge. 57 pp.

Lohmann, H., 1896. Die Appendicularien der Plankton-Expedition. Ergebnisse der Plankton-Expedition der Humbolt- Stiftung 1889. Bd. 2, EC. Verlag Lipsius und Tischer, Leipzig. pp 1-148, 20 plates, 3 maps.

Lohmann, H., 1901. Die Appendicularien. Nordisches Plankton, 2(3): 11-21. Lipsius & Tischer, Kiel. (Reprint Asher & Co., Amsterdam, 1964).

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