salpa

Sal"pa, n.; pl. L. Salpæ, E. Salpas. Etym: [NL.: cf. L. salpa a kind of stockfish.] (Zoöl.) Defn: A genus of transparent, tubular, free-swimming oceanic tunicates found abundantly in all the warmer latitudes. See Illustration in Appendix. Note: Each species exists in two distinct forms, one of which lives solitary, and produces, by budding from an internal organ, a series of the other kind. These are united together, side by side, so as to form a chain, or cluster, often of large size. Each of the individuals composing the chain carries a single egg, which develops into the solitary kind.

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