Pyrosoma is a genus of pyrosomes, marine colonial tunicates in the class Thaliacea. It contains four pelagic species found in temperate waters worldwide. Pyrosomes are filter feeders that uniquely use a type of continuous jet propulsion, generated by individual zooids, to slowly move forward while grazing; the species P. atlanticum has the highest known food clearance rate among zooplankton grazers. Colonies can reach lengths of up to . Pyrosoma atlanticum has special light organs that contain glowing bacteria (Photobacterium sp.), and these bacteria make the colony glow blue-green in the ocean.Berger, A., Blackwelder, P., Frank, T., Sutton, T., Pruzinsky, N., Slayden, N., & Lopez, J. V. (2021). "Bioluminescent Symbionts of Pyrosoma atlanticum". *Frontiers in Marine Science, 8*, 606818. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmars.2021.606818
Species
The genus contains four recognized species:
References