These gorgeous, intricate sea creatures are actually giant blobs of snot

[Kali]

2. not so distant relative

basically "larval tunicates (sea squirts) that never grow up, hence the name. Another fact: larvaceans and other tunicates are closely related to vertebrates; the tail contains a supporting rod called a notochord that's homologous to a vertebrate spine"

(from a comment on a You Tube video that captured my thoughts better than I could write)