Pelagic tunicates in the China Seas Author Franco, P. Author Dahms, H. - U. Author Lo, W. - T. Author Hwang, J. - S. text Journal of Natural History 2017 2017-03-27 51 15 - 16 917 936 http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/00222933.2017.1293180 journal article 10.1080/00222933.2017.1293180 1464-5262 5180954 Thalia orientalis Morphology Solitary zooids are up to 7 mm long, excluding posterior projections. Tests often with eight longitudinal rows of echinae on the surface. Long posterior projections, but lateral ones are absent and mid-ventral ones are strongly developed. Atrial palps are bifurcate. MI to MII are not contiguous, MII to MIII and MIV to MV are strongly fused dorsally. Total number of muscular fibres is 30–36, including the intermediate muscle (authors’ personal observations; Marine Species Identification Portal 2017 ). Biogeography The species is found in the Mediterranean Sea and China Seas (WoRMS Editorial Board 2017 ).