Spatio-Temporal Settlement Patterns of the Non-Native Titan Acorn Barnacle, Megabalanus coccopoma, in Northeastern Florida

Abstract

Abstract Individuals of the non-native titan acorn barnacle, Megabalanus coccopoma, have been documented at several locations in the southeastern United States in the past eight years, but little work has been done on the basic biology of M. coccopoma in U.S. waters, nor has anyone documented active settlement in local areas. We collected recently-settled M. coccopoma spat at sites within the main channel and some of the adjacent feeder creeks of the Intracoastal Waterway of northeastern Florida to compare spat abundance over time, between channel and creek environments, and among sites. Spat were present almost exclusively between April and July with most settlement occurring relatively close to either St. Augustine Inlet or Matanzas Inlet. No spat were observed at any of the feeder creek collection sites; the lower salinity there may be intolerable to M. coccopoma larvae.