Fol, 1872

Description
A small appendicularian. The trunk is ovoid. The tail is narrow, being 2-4 mm; the length of the tail is about four times the body length; the tail has a narrow tail muscle and two distinct, characteristic sub-chordal cells at about 1/2 to 2/3 down the length of the tail (well distinguishable even in unstained material).
In this species the sexes are separated (which is not the case in all other known species of Appendicularia). Ovary or testis posteriorly.
Mouth with a small lower lip. The endostyle is rather voluminous, posteriorly prolongated to just near the anus. The buccal glands are small and spherica. The right stomach lobe forms a cloacal sac behind the entrance to the intestine.

Size
The length of the body (i.e. without the tail) is usually between 0.5 and 1.0 mm but may reach 1.3 mm.

Depth range

Distribution in the North Sea
Occurs in the whole North Sea. Common in coastal and brackish waters and estuaries. Also in Wadden Sea, Kattegat and W Baltic (occasionally E Baltic also).

World distribution
A semi-cosmopolitan, neritic species from warm and temperate waters. Atlantic, Indian and Pacific Oceans. Also present in Mediterranean Sea and Red Sea. From all Appendicularia, O. dioica is the most eurytherm and euryhaline species.

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

Status in World Register of Marine Species

Not included in WoRMS database

Scientific synonyms and common names

Vexillaria flabellum | Müller, 1846
Appendicularia flabellum | Huxley, 1856
Vexillaria speciosa | Eisen, 1873
Oikopleura malmy | Hartmann, 1878
Oikopleura flabellum | Müller, 1887
Oikopleura flabellum | Huxley, 1887
Oekopleura dioica | Carus, 1889-1893
Oikopleura (Vexillaria) dioica | 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.

Flood, P.R. and D. Deibel, 1998. The appendicularian house. In: Q. Bone (ed.), 1998. The biology of pelagic tunicates. Oxford University Press, Oxford. pp 105-124.

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).

Newell, G.E. and Newell, R.C., 1977. Marine Plankton, A Practical Guide. Hutchinson and Co., London. 225 pp.

Wyatt, T., 1973. The biology of Oikopleura dioica and Fritillaria borealis in the Southern Bight. Marine Biology, 22: 1378-158.

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