Alldredge AL.

Science. 1972 Sep 8;177(4052):885-7. doi:10.1126/science.177.4052.885

Abandoned larvacean houses: a unique food source in the pelagic environment

The copepod Oncaea mediterranea can feed on appendicularian houses (lab experiment with starved copepods). As some nanoplankton is caugt in the abandonned houses, this brings back the nanplankton in the copepod food chain.