ELI5: Explain Like I'm 5

Salpa Line

The salpa line is like a big group hug of animals! Imagine a long line of sea creatures holding hands with their tails. They are hanging out together and swimming in the ocean.

Each animal in the salpa line is called a salp. They are clear, tube-shaped creatures that look like jellyfish. Salps can be really small, like a grain of rice, or really big, like a hot dog.

The salps hold onto each other's tails to create a big chain. This chain can be as short as a few salps or as long as 15 feet! Some salp chains are so big that they can be seen from space.

When the salp chain moves, it looks like a pulsing light. This is because the salps are constantly pumping water through their bodies as they swim. The salpa line can move up, down, and around in the water.

Sometimes, the salpa line can get even bigger. When there are a lot of food and nutrients in the water, the salps can reproduce quickly. They create a big chain of baby salps that stretches for miles!

The salpa line is important because it helps keep the ocean healthy. Salps eat tiny plants and animals in the water, and they help keep the balance of life in the ocean.