Oikopleura (Vexillaria) diocia
Fol (1872)
Download a afact sheet for Oikopleura (Vexillaria) dioica (PDF 321KB)
Taxonomy
| Phylum | Chordata |
| Class | Appendicularia |
| Order | Copelata |
| Family | Oikopleuridae |
| Genus | Oikopleura (Vexillaria) |
| Species | dioica |
Size
- Body length (i.e. without the tail) 0.5 - 1.3 mm
Distinguishing characteristics
- A small appendicularian
- Trunkis ovoid
- Tailis narrow, being 2-4 mm; the length of the@tail@is about four times the body length
- The tail has a narrow tail muscle and two distinct, characteristic sub-chordal cells at about 1/2 to 2/3 down the length of the tail (well distinguishable even in unstained material)
Distribution
- The distribution in Australian includes
- Worldwide distribution North and Central Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean Sea, Red Sea, subtropical SW Atlantic Ocean, tropical Indian and West Pacific Oceans
Ecology
References
- Marine species identification portal (2011)