New Record of an Acorn Barnacle, Chelonibia Patula (Cirripedia, Thoracica) From Pakistan

Abstract

The genus Chelonibia Leach, 1817, was hitherto not recorded from Pakistani waters. This genus is represented by four species and is widely distributed throughout the world, in the tropical and warmer temperate seas. The species C. patula (Ranzani) was found attached to the carapace and the chelipeds of the swimming crabs, Portunus pelagicus (L., 1758) and Charybdis hellerii (A. Milne Edwards, 1867). The sample containing these two swimming crabs was obtained from shrimp landings at Karachi fish harbour in October 1985. The shrimp catch had been brought to the fish harbour by one of the commercial trawlers which normally operate in the territorial waters of Pakistan. The known distribution of C. patula in Western Indian Ocean shows that it has only been recorded from Maharastra (west coast of India) by Wagh & Bal (1970). Its absence from Persian Gulf, according to Jones (1986), and also from the Red Sea and East Africa is worth noting and the Pakistan record of C. patula extends its range further west in the Indian Ocean. The following is a brief account of C. patula based on the present specimens. These specimens are housed in the Centre of Excellence in Marine Biology. For synonomy and detailed description Pilsbry (1916) and Stubbings (1967) should be consulted.