Balanus amphitrite or Amphibalanus amphitrite? A note on barnacle nomenclature

Abstract

In a recent revision of the Balanidae based on morphological systematics, the much studied fouling species Balanus amphitrite was renamed Amphibalanus amphitrite. Here, the case is made for retaining the former nomenclature. Taxonomists are urged to exercise caution before introducing new formal taxonomies, which should ideally be based on several independent lines of evidence.

Keywords:

• barnacle
• systematics
• taxonomy
• Balanus
• Amphibalanus

Acknowledgements

We gratefully acknowledge the comments of three anonymous reviewers. ASC gratefully acknowledges the financial support of EU AMBIO and the US Office of Naval Research (contract # N00014-05-1-0767).

Notes

^†Result of a search for ‘Balanus SAME amphitrite’ in Web of Science on 8 November 2007.