Appendicularia (Noun)
Meaning
Free-swimming tadpole-shaped pelagic tunicate resembling larvae of other tunicates.
Classification
Nouns denoting animals.
Examples
- The appendicularia were found swimming near the surface of the ocean, their tails flicking back and forth.
- Appendicularia are often confused with fish larvae due to their similar body shape, but they belong to a different kingdom altogether.
- Adult tunicates, such as sea squirts, have a very different morphology compared to the free-swimming appendicularia larvae.
- In the pelagic zone, appendicularia feed on phytoplankton using their cellulose filter houses.
- Researchers studying the developmental biology of tunicates often use appendicularia as a model organism due to their simple body plan and short lifespan.