Sal"pa (?), n.; pl. L. Salpae (#), E. Salpas (#). [NL.: cf. L. salpa a kind of stockfish.] Zool.

A genus of transparent, tubular, free-swimming oceanic tunicates found abundantly in all the warmer latitudes. See Illustration in Appendix.

⇒ Each species exists in two distinct forms, one of which lives solitary, and produces, by budding from an internal organ, a series of the other kind. These are united together, side by side, so as to form a chain, or cluster, often of large size. Each of the individuals composing the chain carries a single egg, which develops into the solitary kind.

 

© Webster 1913.