Appendicularia (animal genus)

Appendicularia is a genus of larvaceans in the family Fritillariidae.

Appendicularia
Appendicularia sp. specimen
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Subphylum:	Tunicata
Class:	Appendicularia
Order:	Copelata
Family:	Fritillariidae
Subfamily:	Appendiculariinae Seeliger, 1895
Genus:	Appendicularia Fol, 1874
Type species
Appendicularia sicula Fol, 1874
Species
Appendicularia sicula Fol, 1874 Appendicularia tregouboffi Fenaux, 1960
Synonyms[1]
Appendicula Bartsch, 1915

History

The genus name Appendicularia was originally coined by Chamisso and Eysenhardt in 1821, naming the first discovered larvacean Appendicularia flagellum. However, the lack of an accurate description made it a nomen nudum, leading to it being reused by Hermann Fol for the species Appendicularia sicula.^[2]

Description

Appendicularia is relatively small in comparison to other larvaceans, with an adult body length of around 0.4 mm and a tail length of around 1.1 mm in A. sicula. The body is flattened in its front half, and bulged in its posterior half. The house is ellipsoidal, measuring around 2.6 mm in length.

Distribution

The first description of Appendicularia sicula was made from specimens found near Messina, Italy.^[2] Since then, it has also been found in low-depth waters near the coasts of the Japanese islands of Kyushu and Hokkaido.^[3]