Meet the Salp: Ocean's Strangest Jelly-like Creature

12th April, 2024

CHIRANJIT MITRA

Barrel-shaped, transparent, gelatinous creatures related to sea squirts.

What Are They?

They drift with ocean currents in chains, feeding by filtering tiny plankton from the water.

Life of a Salp

Salps switch between sexual and asexual reproduction! It's all about creating long chains.

Reproduction Magic

When conditions are right, salp populations explode, creating vast, jelly-like patches in the ocean.

Bloom Boom!

Salp blooms are carbon gobblers! They remove plankton, and their sinking bodies take carbon to the ocean depths.

Eco Powerhouse

Sea turtles, fish, and other creatures enjoy a tasty salp snack from time to time.

Food Source

From their unique shape to their role in the ocean, salps are a reminder of how weird and wonderful marine life is!