Appendicularia cophocerca; Print; Larvacea; Larvaceans (Class Appendicularia) are solitary; free-swimming tunicates found throughout the world's oceans. Like most tunicates; appendicularians are filter feeders. Unlike most other tunicates; they live in the pelagic zone; specifically in the upper sunlit portion of the ocean (photic zone) or sometimes deeper. They are transparent planktonic animals; generally less than 1 cm (0.39 in) in body length (excluding the tail).