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We report new distribution and host records of the turtle barnacle Stephanolepas muricata Fischer. Ours is the first study to document this species' occurrence in Mexico and in the Atlantic Ocean (North Carolina, Georgia and Florida: USA). We also present the first record of S. muricata from olive ridley sea turtles, Lepidochelys olivacea (Eschscholtz). We discuss the physical and ecological characteristics associated with the specimens collected and present evidence suggesting the likelihood of chemical mediation between embedding coronuloid barnacles like S. muricata and host turtles. We provide the first data on the diet and fecundity of S. muricata.
Acknowledgements
We thank Kristina L. Williams (Caretta Research Project) and Eric A. Lazo-Wasem (Peabody Museum of Natural History at Yale University) for their support. The staff at the Georgia Sea Turtle Center graciously allowed MGF to collect samples from their turtles. We would also like to thank the staff and volunteers at Playa Ceuta, Volker Koch, William Megill, Robert Templeton, Amee Lewis, Ranulfo Mayoral and the Earthwatch team members who assisted with data and specimen collections. Comments provided by René-Pierre Carriol and an anonymous reviewer greatly improved this manuscript.