salp, any small, pelagic, gelatinous invertebrate of the order Salpida (subphylum Tunicata, phylum Chordata). Found in warm seas, salps are especially common in the Southern Hemisphere. They have transparent barrel-shaped bodies that are girdled by muscle bands and open at each end. For propulsion, muscle contractions can rapidly expel jets of water from the body and drive the animals forward. They are filter feeders that consume microscopic planktonic plants and animals. The life cycle of salps is complex, with alternating sexual and asexual phases. In the latter phase, long chains of individuals are formed. Many salps are luminescent.