Tilesius, 1802

Description
— Aggregate form a very large animal, with a thick and firm test that has a broad dorsal depression. The five muscle bands are interrupted dorsally and ventrally. M1-M3 converge dorsally but do not join. The gut is rather compact and is located in a ventral swelling of the test.
—Solitary form a very large animal, with a thick and firm test that is somewhat triangular in section; it has two distinct posterior projections. There are numerous, weakly developed muscle bands, about 20 or more. The muscle bands are often broken and interrupted dorsally and ventrally. The rather compact gut is located at about one third of the body length from the posterior end. The stolon extends forwards before it turns posteriorly to the left of the gut.

Size
Length of aggregate form: up to 250 mm; length of solitary form: up to 240 mm.

Depth range

Distribution in the North Sea
Possible occurring in the northern North Sea; very rare.

World distribution
Cosmopolitan, eurythermic species occurring in all oceans, except the Red Sea, the Arctic, Antarctic and Subantarctic waters.

Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Chordata
Subphylum Tunicata
Class Thaliacea
Order Salpida
Family Salpidae
Subfamily Salpinae
Genus Thetys
Species Thetys vagina

Status in World Register of Marine Species

Accepted name: Thetys vagina Tilesius, 1802

Sorry, there are no scientific synonyms and common names available for this species

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

Godeaux, J., 1998. The relationships and systematics of the Thaliacea, with keys for identification. In: Q. Bone (ed.), 1998. The biology of pelagic tunicates. Oxford University Press, Oxford. pp 273-294.

Sims, D.W., 1996. A rare record of the salp, Thetys vagina (Tunicata: Thaliacea) from western Scottish waters. J. mar. biol. Ass. U.K., 76: 833.

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