Salps are gelatinous, free-floating marine animals that belong to the phylum Chordata and are closely related to sea squirts. They are barrel-shaped and can vary in size, typically ranging from a few centimeters to over a meter long. Salps move through the water by contracting and relaxing their bodies, which helps them filter feed on phytoplankton and other small particles. These creatures often form large, transparent colonies that can be seen drifting in oceans around the world. Salps play a significant role in the marine ecosystem by contributing to the ocean's food web and helping to regulate carbon cycling through their feeding and excretion processes.