Cuvier, 1804

Description
— Solitary zooids elongate, with slightly convex anterior and a squarely cut off posterior. Test entirely smooth, moderately thick to thin. Muscles (M) 1-3 strongly fused over a wide area in the mid-dorsal region, M8 and M9 are likewise strongly fused. M1-M9 with 136-296 fibres, except for M4 with 14-40 fibres. Number of muscle fibers is due to clinal variation, in the NE Atlantic ranging from 30 to 40 in M4 and from 206 to 281 in M1-M9. Dorsal tubercule is small and C-shaped. Nucleus relatively small, compact, not causing a swelling of the test. Rudimentary elaioblast disappears in a young stage.
— Aggregate zooids: body barrel shaped and typically fusiform, with conical anterior and posterior protuberances of the test that are typically long in relation to the body, giving it a slight asymmetry. Test entirely smooth, moderately thick to thin. Six body muscles; M1-M4 strongly fused over a wide area in mid-dorsal region; M4-M5 laterally fused; M5-M6 strongly fused in the mid-dorsal region. Fibre number of M1-M6 is 25-68 and is due to clinal variation. Dorsal tubercule is a simple slightly arched stick. Nucleus pale green in live specimens, relatively small and oval, not causing a swelling of the test.

Size
Solitary zooid: 22 to 52 mm; Aggregate zooids: 7 to 52 mm (excluding projections).

Depth range
Occurring at depths from surface to ca. 800 m, seems to perform diurnal vertical migration.

Distribution in the North Sea
S. fusiformis is frequently entering the northern North Sea from the NE Atlantic.

World distribution
Cosmopolitan, eurythermic 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 the widest distribution of all salp species, and is also one of the most abundant ones.

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

Status in World Register of Marine Species

Accepted name: Salpa fusiformis Cuvier, 1804

Scientific synonyms and common names

Salpa maxima | var. Forskål, 1775
Salpa runcinata | Chamisso, 1819
Biphora depressa | Sars, 1829
Biphora tricuspidata | Sars, 1829
Salpa maxima | Meyen, 1832
Salpa coerulea | Quoy and Gaimard, 1833

Båmstedt, U., J.H. Fosså, M.B. Martinussen and A. Fosshagen, 1998. Mass occurrence of the physonect siphonophore Apolemia uvaria (Lesueur) in Norwegian waters. Sarsia, 83: 79-85.

Bone, Q. (ed.), 1998. The biology of pelagic tunicates. Oxford University Press, Oxford. 340 pp.

de Visser, J. and R.W.M. van Soest, 1987. Salpa fusiformis populations of the North Atlantic. Biological Oceanography, 4(2): 193-209

Foxton, P. 1961. Salpa fusiformis Cuvier and related species. Discovery Reports, 32: 1-32.

Fraser, J.H., 1950. List of rare exotic species found in the plankton by the Scottish research vessels in 1949. Annales Biologiques, Vol. VI: 95-99. Conseil Permanent pour l'Exploration de la Mer, Kopenhagen.

Fraser, J.H., 1964. The Continuous Plankton Recorder Survey: plankton around the British Isles during 1964. Ann. Biol., 21: 56-62 (Cons. Perm. Int. Expl. mer).

Godeaux, J., Q. Bone and J.-C. Braconnot, 1998. Anatomy of Thaliacea. In: Q. Bone (ed.), 1998. The biology of pelagic tunicates. Oxford University Press, Oxford. pp 1-24.

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.

Hunt, H.G., 1968. Continuous Plankton Records: Contribution towards a plankton atlas of the North Atlantic and the North Sea, Part XI: the seasonal and annual distribution of Thaliacea. Bulletin of marine Ecology, 6: 225-249.

Soest, R.W.M. van, 1974. A revision of the genera Salpa Forskål, 1775, Pegea Savigny, 1816, and Ritteriella Metcalf, 1919 (Tunicata, Thaliacea). Beaufortia, 22(293): 153-191.

Soest, R.W.M. van, 1975b. Zoogeography and speciation in the Salpidae (Tunicata, Thaliacea). Beaufortia, 23(307): 181-215.

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