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Kowalevskia
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Chordata
Subphylum:	Tunicata
Class:	Appendicularia
Order:	Copelata
Family:	Kowalevskiidae Lahille, 1888
Genus:	Kowalevskia Fol, 1872
Synonyms
Kowalewskia Fol, 1872

Kowalevskia is a genus of larvacean tunicates, the only one in the family Kowalevskiidae.

Species

• Kowalevskia oceanica Lohmann, 1899
• Kowalevskia tenuis Fol, 1872

Description

Kowalevskia is a small larvacean. In the adult, the body measures around 1 mm long, while the tail is 8 mm long, appearing stretched and tapered at its ends.

Unlike other Appendicularia species, Kowalevskia doesn't have a heart. Instead, the circulatory system is powered by the beating tail.

Kowalevskia also lacks an endostyle, being replaced by a ciliated groove without glandular cells.

The spiracles also differ from other families, being shaped as long, narrow slits.

House

Uniquely among larvaceans, Kowalevskia's house is ellipsoidal or toroidal in shape, 1 to 2 cm in diameter. It has a single opening, acting both as inlet and outlet.

Distribution

Both species of Kowalevskia have a wide distribution. K. tenuis can be found in the East Atlantic and West Pacific, as well as in the Mediterranean and Black Seas. Meanwhile, K. oceanica is found in the Mediterranean and North-East Atlantic, as well as in the Red Sea and West Indian Ocean.

Phylogeny

The monotypic Kowalevskiidae is believed to be the sister taxon to Fritillariidae, with both sharing specialized characteristics and forming a clade to the exclusion of Oikopleuridae.

References

1. "Kowalevskia". www.gbif.org. Retrieved 13 May 2023.
2. ^ "Kowalevskia tenuis – Appendiculaire ellipsoïdal" (in French).
3. ^ "Appendiculaire ellipsoïdal" (in French).
4. ^ Brena, Carlo; Cima, Francesca; Burighel, Paolo (31 July 2003). "Alimentary tract of Kowalevskiidae (Appendicularia, Tunicata) and evolutionary implications". Journal of Morphology. 258 (2): 225–238. doi:10.1002/jmor.10145. PMID 14518015. S2CID 22635979.
5. "Appendicularia" (PDF). Australian Government – Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. Retrieved 2023-04-10.

v t e Tunicate genera
Kingdom: Animalia Phylum: Chordata Clade: Olfactores
Tunicata Appendicularia (Larvacea) Kowalevskia Fritillariidae Appendicularia Fritillaria Tectillaria Oikopleuridae Althoffia Bathochordaeus Chunopleura Folia Megalocercus Mesochordaeus Mesoikopleura Oikopleura Pelagopleura Sinisteroffia Stegosoma Stolidobranchia (Pleurogona)¹ Molgulidae Anomopera Asajirus Bostrichobranchus Eugyra Fungulus Gamaster Minipera Molgula Molguloides Namiella Oligotrema Paramolgula Pareugyrioides Protomolgula Rhizomolgula Pyuridae Bathypera Bathypyura Boltenia Bolteniopsis Claudenus Cratostigma Ctenyura Culeolus Halocynthia Hartmeyeria Hemistyela Herdmania Heterostigma Microcosmus Paraculeolus Pyura Styelidae Alloeocarpa Amphicarpa Arnbackia Asterocarpa Bathyoncus Bathystyeloides Berillia Botryllocarpa Botrylloides Botryllus Chorizocarpa Cnemidocarpa Dendrodoa Dextrocarpa Dicarpa Distomus Eusynstyela Gynandrocarpa Kukenthalia Metandrocarpa Monandrocarpa Oculinaria Oligocarpa Pelonaia Podostyela Polyandrocarpa Polycarpa Polyzoa Protostyela Psammostyela Seriocarpa Stolonica Styela Symplegma Syncarpa Theodorella Tibitin Thaliacea Pyrosomatidae Pyrosoma Pyrosomella Pyrostremma Salpidae Brooksia Cyclosalpa Helicosalpa Iasis Ihlea Metcalfina Pegea Ritteriella Salpa Soestia Thalia Thetys Traustedtia Doliolida Doliopsoides Paradoliopsis Pseudusa Doliopsidae Doliolula Doliopsis Doliolidae Dolioletta Doliolina Dolioloides Doliolum Enterogona¹ see below↓
Enterogona Aplousobranchia Euherdmania Placentela Stomozoa Vitrum Clavelinidae Clavelina Euclavella Nephtheis Pycnoclavella Diazonidae Diazona Pseudodiazona Pseudorhopalaea Rhopalaea Tylobranchion Didemnidae Atriolum Clitella Coelocormus Didemnum Diplosoma Leptoclinides Lissoclinum Polysyncraton Trididemnum Holozoidae Distaplia Hypodistoma Hypsistozoa Neodistoma Polydistoma Protoholozoa Pseudoplacentela Scotiazoa Sigillina Sycozoa Polycitoridae Archidistoma Brevicollus Cystodytes Eucoelium Eudistoma "Exostoma" Millarus Polycitor Polycitorella Rhombifera Salix Polyclinidae Aplidiopsis Aplidium Morchellioides Morchellium Neodictyon Polyclinella Polyclinum Sidneioides Synoicum Protopolyclinidae Condominium Monniotus Protopolyclinum Pseudodistomidae Anadistoma Citorclinum Pseudodistoma Ritterellidae Dumus Pharyngodictyon Ritterella Phlebobranchia Dimeatus Hypobythius Agneziidae Adagnesia Agnezia Caenagnesia Proagnesia Pterygascidia Ascidiidae Ascidia Ascidiella Fimbrora Phallusia Psammascidia Cionidae Araneum Ciona Tantillulum Corellidae Abyssascidia Chelyosoma Clatripes Corella Corelloides Corellopsis Corynascidia Dextrogaster Mysterascidia Rhodosoma Xenobranchion Octacnemidae Benthascidia Cibacapsa Cryptia Dicopia Kaikoja Megalodicopia Myopegma Octacnemus Polyoctacnemus Situla Perophoridae Ecteinascidia Perophora Plurellidae Microgastra Plurella
Tunicate-like fossils Ediacaran Ausia Burykhia Finkoella Pharyngomorpha Yarnemia Cambrian Cheungkongella Megasiphon Shankouclava Later Palaeoquadrum Quadrifolium Toscanisoma Khmeriamorpha Khmeria Zardinisoma Ichnotaxa Catellocaula
¹Part of the paraphyletic class Ascidiacea Category Commons

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