Pyrosoma is a genus of pyrosomes, marine colonial tunicates in the class Thaliacea.[1][2] It contains four pelagic species found in temperate waters worldwide. Pyrosomes are filter feeders that uniquely use a type of continuous jet propulsion, generated by individual zooids, to slowly move forward while grazing; the species P. atlanticum has the highest known food clearance rate among zooplankton grazers. Colonies can reach lengths of up to 20 m (66 ft).[3]

Pyrosoma
Pyrosoma atlanticum
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Subphylum: Tunicata
Class: Thaliacea
Order: Pyrosomatida
Family: Pyrosomatidae
Subfamily: Pyrosomatinae
Genus: Pyrosoma
Péron, 1804 [1]
Synonyms[1]
  • Dipleurosoma Brooks, 1906

Species

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The genus contains four recognized species:[1]

References

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  1. ^ a b c d WoRMS. "Pyrosoma Péron, 1804". World Register of Marine Species. Retrieved 30 September 2024.
  2. ^ Péron, F. (1804). "Mémoire sur le nouveau genre Pyrosoma". Annales du Muséum d'Histoire Naturelle. 4 (12): 437–446.437-446&rft.date=1804&rft.aulast=Péron&rft.aufirst=F.&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Pyrosoma" class="Z3988">
  3. ^ Henschke, Natasha; Pakhomov, Evgeny A.; Kwong, Lian E.; Everett, Jason D.; Laiolo, Leonardo; Coghlan, Amy R.; Suthers, Iain M. (May 2019). "Large vertical migrations of Pyrosoma atlanticum play an important role in active carbon transport". Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences. 124 (5): 1056–1070. doi:10.1029/2018JG004918. hdl:10453/139295.1056-1070&rft.date=2019-05&rft_id=info:hdl/10453/139295&rft_id=info:doi/10.1029/2018JG004918&rft.aulast=Henschke&rft.aufirst=Natasha&rft.au=Pakhomov, Evgeny A.&rft.au=Kwong, Lian E.&rft.au=Everett, Jason D.&rft.au=Laiolo, Leonardo&rft.au=Coghlan, Amy R.&rft.au=Suthers, Iain M.&rft_id=https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1029/2018JG004918&rfr_id=info:sid/en.wikipedia.org:Pyrosoma" class="Z3988">