Matinecock Artificial Reef

40-barge

Depth: 30 - 40 ft

Matinecock Artificial Reef

side-scan sonar image of Matinecock Reef, click to enlarge


Horned Salp

Thalia democratica

Although they may superficially resemble swimming siphonophores, salps are actually free-living tunicates. There are 6 genera of salps and all are transparent.

Tunicates are much more advanced in the evolutionary scheme of things than jellyfishes, having, for example, a circulatory system. The larvae actually even have several features in common with vertebrates, including the precursor of a spinal cord, but these are lost in the sac-like adults. Salps do not sting.

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