| Bathochordaeus | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Bathochordaeus charon (A to C) andB. stygius (E to F) | |
Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Chordata |
| Subphylum: | Tunicata |
| Class: | Appendicularia |
| Order: | Copelata |
| Family: | Oikopleuridae |
| Subfamily: | Bathochordaeinae |
| Genus: | Bathochordaeus Chun, 1900[1] |
| Species | |
| |
Bathochordaeus, thegiant larvaceans, is a genus oflarvaceantunicates in the familyOikopleuridae. They are free-swimmingfilter-feeding marine animals that build mucus bubbles. They eat tiny particles of dead or drifting organic material that float through the water column, which contribute to the oceaniccarbon cycle and the accelerated transfer of carbon to the deep sea.[2]
They are much larger than other genera of larvaceans, ranging from 3 to 10 centimeters in total length, with houses reaching more than 1 meter in diameter.[3]
Giant larvaceans are widespread through the planet's oceans, being found in the North and South Pacific Ocean, the North and South Atlantic Ocean, and the Indian Ocean. Three species have been described,Bathochordaeus charon,B. mcnutti andB. stygius, all of them found inMonterey Bay.[3]
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