Larval Development of Octomeris brunnea DARWIN (Cirripedia, Chthamalidae, Euraphiinae) Reared in the Laboratory

Abstract

The larval development of Octomeris brunnea DARWIN is described based on larvae reared in the laboratory at a temperature of 28°C on a diet of the dinoflagellate Prorocentrum micans. It includes six naupliar and one cypris stages. Morphological characteristics such as the cephalic shield, thoraco-abdominal process, labrum, and appendages are described and illustrated. The oval cephalic shield, dark-brown pigmentation and setation in the antenna of the nauplii, and the honey-comb sculpture and dark-brown pigmentation of the cyprid easily distinguish O. brunnea from Octomeris sulcata and other Euraphiinae. The naupliar sizes of the species of three Octomeris, O. brunnea, O. sulcata, and O. angulosa, are compared and the morphological differences between the larvae of O. brunnea and other chthamalid barnacles are used to investigate their phylogenetic relationships.