Salp chain
A salp chain is a colony of barrel-shaped marine tunicates linked together while they swim and filter seawater.
Also known as: salp colony, salp aggregate
How big is it?
2 m · defined extended chain length
Also 6.562 ft
Defined extended chain length · defined specimen
Typical recorded range: 50 cm to 4 m.
A little perspective
Salp chain vs Elkhorn coral colony: length comparison
The extended chain length of a salp chain is approximately equal to the colony width of an elkhorn coral colony.
A salp chain is a colony of barrel-shaped marine tunicates linked together while they swim and filter seawater.
An elkhorn coral colony is a branching formation of the coral species Acropora palmata, found in shallow Caribbean reefs.
Both rulers start at the same zero and share one linear scale. Artwork keeps its original proportions. Horizontal rulers compare the selected spans; vertical brackets also identify height on the artwork.
Measurements, assumptions & sources +
Salp chain
Defined extended chain length: 2 m; defined specimen; range 50 cm–4 m.
A defined 2 m extended chain of linked salps. Each transparent barrel-shaped salp is an individual tunicate; colonies flex, contract and break apart, so measured length depends strongly on posture.
The marked defined extended chain length is calibrated. Unmeasured illustration details are representative.
Elkhorn coral colony
Defined colony width: 2 m; defined specimen; range 1 m–3.5 m.
A defined mature elkhorn coral (Acropora palmata) colony 2 m wide and 1.2 m high. Branch growth and breakage produce irregular colonies; the basal reef substrate is excluded from both spans.
NOAA Fisheries — Elkhorn coral
The marked defined colony width is calibrated. Unmeasured illustration details are representative.
Use the visual comparison to explore its scale, then check the measurements and sources.
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Why this measurement?
Why we use 2 m
We compare the extended chain length of a salp chain. This is an illustrative comparison value, not a claim that every example is the same. The recorded range is 50 cm to 4 m.
A defined 2 m extended chain of linked salps. Each transparent barrel-shaped salp is an individual tunicate; colonies flex, contract and break apart, so measured length depends strongly on posture.
The marked vertical span follows the measured feature, not the edges of the image. How calibrated comparisons work →
Recorded properties
Dimensions and measurements
| Property | Selected value | Recorded range | Basis |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2 m | 50 cm to 4 m | defined specimen |
Around this scale
Explore nearby values.
Compare examples with lower, similar and higher values. Each card names the measurement being compared.
Nearest lower valueLiving thingsLion1.9 mBody lengthA lion is a large African cat that lives in social groups and preys on other mammals.
Around the same scaleLiving thingsPyrosome colony2 mDefined colony lengthA pyrosome is a hollow, free-floating colony of many small filter-feeding tunicates joined in a tube.
Nearest higher valueLiving thingsTiger2.1 mBody lengthA tiger is a solitary wild cat with a striped coat, native to Asia.Sources and method
Want to check the number?
The source records and measurement method remain available for inspection.
- Smithsonian Ocean — SalpsBarrel-shaped tunicate anatomy and aggregate chains; the atlas uses a defined extended colony.
There’s always another scale
Follow your curiosity.
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Living thingsElkhorn coral colony2 mAn elkhorn coral colony is a branching formation of the coral species Acropora palmata, found in shallow Caribbean reefs.
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