Notes:Poecil{{{ostomatoida)
Larvaceans, also known as "appendicularians" are small holoplanktonic animals. They secrete a hollow mucous "house" around themselves and use their tail (on the right) to create a current through the house that provides propulsion. A series of mucous filters strain micro-organisms from this current to feed the larvacean.

The houses are replaced periodically and can be jetisoned quickly when the animal is disturbed, as invariably occurs when they are captured in plankton nets, The animal shown here is less than 0.5 mm long, but the house may reach several milimeters.

Oikopleura is the most common nearshore larvacean, usually found in clear, high-salinity waters.

lCollected by: Bill Johnson, Goucher College.