Genus
Pyrosoma (Sea pickles)
Pyrosoma atlanticum. Photo: (c) Stefanie, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC)
Pyrosomes, genus Pyrosoma, are free-floating colonial tunicates that live usually in the upper layers of the open ocean in warm seas, although some may be found at greater depths. Pyrosomes are cylindrical or cone-shaped colonies made up of hundreds to thousands of individuals, known as zooids. Colonies range in size from less than one centimeter to several metres in length. They are commonly called “sea pickles.”
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