THIS is Lurking In The Water…Seriously

Here is a bit more technical information about this unusual creature.  Seriously, who knew they could get this big?

Pyrosomes and salps are pelagic (free-swimming) tunicates or sea squirts. All species are open ocean animals that rarely come close to shore, and all are colonial, although many salps can also be solitary.
Pyrosomes are colonies of tiny animals that form hollow tubes sealed at one end – the long tube species in the first part of the video is giant pyrosome Pyrostremma spinosum – it can reach 30m in length! Pyrosomes get their name (Pyro = fire + soma = body) from their ability to emit light (bioluminescence) – colonies can glow or flash light at night, particularly if touched.

The comments on this video thread by the way are spirited and very hilarious!  We hope you like the video.



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