Larval development of the parasitic barnacle Heterosaccus papillosus (Cirripedia: Rhizocephala: Sacculinidae) studied under laboratory conditions

Abstract

Larval development of the parasitic barnacle Heterosaccus papillosus (Cirripedia: Rhizocephala: Sacculinidae) is described from larvae reared in the laboratory. Lecithotrophic nauplii of H. papillosus reached the cypris stage in 3·5 days, at 22–23°C. The development included five naupliar and the single cypris stage, thus following the typical pattern in the Rhizocephala Kentrogonida. Like the nauplii of all sacculinids, those of H. papillosus had a single pigmented nauplius eye, unsegmented frontolateral horns each with two long spines and a tubercle between the furcal rami, but they lack a flotation collar and have no seta on the antennal basipod. The male larvae are larger than female ones, the mean lengths in the two sexes never overlap. The most interesting feature of this species are the morphological differences between the male and female larvae. In the male nauplii III to V the anterior body margin is noticeably convex, that is not characteristic for female larvae. The male cyprid also has a more acuited anterior region, whereas that of the female is rounded.