barnacle
A barnacle is a type of arthropod constituting the subclass Cirripedia in the subphylum Crustacea, and is hence related to crabs and lobsters. Barnacles are exclusively marine, and tend to live in shallow and tidal waters, typically in eros ...
genus ''Nesochthamalus'' was erected by Foster & Newman, 1987, to include sole species ''Chthamalus intertextus'' originally named by Darwin in 1854. It is widespread on islands in Western
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...
, including
Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...
, and presents combinations of unusual features which make easily recognizable for field workers. These include dirty white shell exterior with deep purple colored interior, operculars colored purple. Opercular plates on each side calcify together in all but youngest individuals, and cannot be separated or easily distinguished from each other. This feature is shared only by ''
Rehderella belyaevi
''Rehderella'' is an unusual and monotypic barnacle genus restricted to Easter Island and Pitcairn Island. ''Rehderella belyaevi'' is its only species.
Two other barnacle species are found in the intertidal zone of these islands. '' Euraphia dev ...
'', but in latter species, scutum and tergum can be distinguished by raised ridge replacing old articular margin. Unique feature of ''Nesochthamalus'' is its basis. In young individuals, it is entirely membraneous, and with age, becomes secondarily calcareous progressively inwards, leaving only the center membraneous. As the basis calcifies, it rises off the substrate forming a saucer shape when viewed from the side. In addition, interior of shell is secondarily calcified.
Diagnosis and Discussion
''Nesochthamalus intertextus'' is notable and distinctive in its outer shell and basis structure. General shape is flattened, with relatively large oval aperture. Crowded colonies do not become columnar, as in ''
Chamaesipho
''Chamaesipho'' is a genus of four-plated notochthamaline barnacles in the Pacific Ocean limited to Australian/New Zealand temperate waters. They are intertidal in preference, and tend to form crowded columnar colonies. They can be identified i ...
''. Unworn specimens are dirty white, and show vertical ribbing, prominent growth ridges, and wavy or chevroned sutures between shell plates. Because of its
intertidal
The intertidal zone, also known as the foreshore, is the area above water level at low tide and underwater at high tide (in other words, the area within the tidal range). This area can include several types of Marine habitat, habitats with var ...
habitat, most specimens are eroded, particularly in their upper, older portions. As wear progresses, plate sutures become straighter. Interior of shell is colored deep violet, more intensely at plate sutures. This color only shows on exterior on unworn sections between ribs. Interior surface of shell plates is covered in small pits.
In young specimens, basis is entirely membraneous. As the animal grows, basis calcifies progressively inwards, leaving only central portion membraneous. As this happens, layers of secondary calcareous material form on inside of shell. This secondary calcification and basis are also colored purple, and serve to halt further enlargement of shell size. As calcification proceeds, outer parts of the animal are raised off substrate, showing convex, saucer-shaped side view.
Opercular plates are unusual in being completely fused on each side, with no trace left of scutal/tergal articulation, except in youngest individuals. Where scutum and tergum are separable, they are equal in size, and colored deep violet, with tergum darker than scutum. Tergum shows clear spur, and 4 tergal depressor muscle crests. Otherwise, these plates are nearly featureless, except for numerous pits on inside surface.
Synonymy and Nomenclature
''Nesochthamalus''
* ''Nesochthamalus'' , 1987: 326, (Original Description): , 2006: 75, (discussion).
* Type species: ''Chthamalus intertextus'' , 1854: 467, by original designation.
Philippine Archipelago
The islands of the Philippines, also known as the Philippine Archipelago, comprises about 7,641 islands, of which only about 2,000 are inhabited.35 as type locality. In the 19th century, precise type localities were not given. Darwin did not give broad geographic ranges, and usually general locality given at beginning of species descriptions can be taken as type locality.
* Type specimens and repository: Pope, 1965 reported a group of specimens in British Museum (Natural History) labeled "Philippines - ex Museum Cuming" as probably type material. No
holotype
A holotype is a single physical example (or illustration) of an organism, known to have been used when the species (or lower-ranked taxon) was formally described. It is either the single such physical example (or illustration) or one of several ...
or
lectotype
In biology, a type is a particular specimen (or in some cases a group of specimens) of an organism to which the scientific name of that organism is formally attached. In other words, a type is an example that serves to anchor or centralizes the ...
has been selected.
Habitat and Geographical Distribution
''Nesochthamalus'' can be found in mid-littoral environments, and does not generally form densely packed colonies as are characteristic of ''
Chamaesipho
''Chamaesipho'' is a genus of four-plated notochthamaline barnacles in the Pacific Ocean limited to Australian/New Zealand temperate waters. They are intertidal in preference, and tend to form crowded columnar colonies. They can be identified i ...
''.
''Nesochthamalus intertextus'' is widespread on islands in West and Central
Pacific Ocean
The Pacific Ocean is the largest and deepest of Earth's five oceanic divisions. It extends from the Arctic Ocean in the north to the Southern Ocean (or, depending on definition, to Antarctica) in the south, and is bounded by the continen ...
. Southernmost reported occurrence is
Port Moresby
(; Tok Pisin: ''Pot Mosbi''), also referred to as Pom City or simply Moresby, is the capital and largest city of Papua New Guinea. It is one of the largest cities in the southwestern Pacific (along with Jayapura) outside of Australia and New Z ...
,
New Guinea
New Guinea (; Hiri Motu
Hiri Motu, also known as Police Motu, Pidgin Motu, or just Hiri, is a language of Papua New Guinea, which is spoken in surrounding areas of Port Moresby (Capital of Papua New Guinea).
It is a simplified version of ...
, and is absent from
Australia
Australia, officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a Sovereign state, sovereign country comprising the mainland of the Australia (continent), Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous List of islands of Australia, sma ...
. Other reports include
Indonesia
Indonesia, officially the Republic of Indonesia, is a country in Southeast Asia and Oceania between the Indian and Pacific oceans. It consists of over 17,000 islands, including Sumatra, Java, Sulawesi, and parts of Borneo and New Guine ...
,
Philippine Archipelago
The islands of the Philippines, also known as the Philippine Archipelago, comprises about 7,641 islands, of which only about 2,000 are inhabited.Taiwan
Taiwan, officially the Republic of China (ROC), is a country in East Asia, at the junction of the East and South China Seas in the northwestern Pacific Ocean, with the People's Republic of China (PRC) to the northwest, Japan to the nort ...
,
Japan
Japan ( ja, 日本, or , and formally , ''Nihonkoku'') is an island country in East Asia. It is situated in the northwest Pacific Ocean, and is bordered on the west by the Sea of Japan, while extending from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north ...
,
Okinawa
is a prefecture of Japan. Okinawa Prefecture is the southernmost and westernmost prefecture of Japan, has a population of 1,457,162 (as of 2 February 2020) and a geographic area of 2,281 km2 (880 sq mi).
Naha is the capital and largest city ...
,
Ryukyu Islands
The , also known as the or the , are a chain of Japanese islands that stretch southwest from Kyushu to Taiwan: the Ōsumi, Tokara, Amami, Okinawa, and Sakishima Islands (further divided into the Miyako and Yaeyama Islands), with Yonaguni ...
,
Fiji
Fiji ( , ,; fj, Viti, ; Fiji Hindi: फ़िजी, ''Fijī''), officially the Republic of Fiji, is an island country in Melanesia, part of Oceania in the South Pacific Ocean. It lies about north-northeast of New Zealand. Fiji consists ...
,
Tuamotu
The Tuamotu Archipelago or the Tuamotu Islands (french: Îles Tuamotu, officially ) are a French Polynesian chain of just under 80 islands and atolls in the southern Pacific Ocean. They constitute the largest chain of atolls in the world, extendin ...
, and
Hawaii
Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...
. It may be reasonably expected to be found throughout
Micronesia
Micronesia (, ) is a subregion of Oceania, consisting of about 2,000 small islands in the western Pacific Ocean. It has a close shared cultural history with three other island regions: the Philippines to the west, Polynesia to the east, and ...
and
Melanesia
Melanesia (, ) is a subregion of Oceania in the southwestern Pacific Ocean. It extends from Indonesia's New Guinea in the west to Fiji in the east, and includes the Arafura Sea.
The region includes the four independent countries of Fiji, Va ...
Vietnam
Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...