An Unusually Large Turtle Barnacle (Chelonibia p. patula) on a Blue Crab from Delaware Bay

Abstract

A turtle barnacle,Chelonibia patula patula (Ranzani) of unusually large size was found on a large female blue crab in Delaware Bay in September, 1954. This appears to be the largest known specimen ofC. p. patula. The crab carapace was also fouled with the bryozoan,Alcyonidium polyoum (Hassall), and the hydroid,Hydractinia echinata (Fleming). On the basis of established criteria for judging the spawning history of adult female blue crabs, it is inferred that the host crab had spawned two or more times, was at least 25 or 26 months old at time of capture, and that the large barnacle was at least one year of age.