Floating castles in the ocean: the barnacles of two giant fish aggregating devices from Okinawa, Japan

摘要

Barnacles are often considered invasive species because they spread to non-native waters via shipping and the movement of floating objects. In this study, we surveyed barnacles attached to decrepit, unloaded fish aggregating devices. These objects act like stepping stones for sessile organisms in the ocean. Barnacles were sampled and identified to the lowest taxonomic level possible. Eight barnacle species were recorded, three of which are new records for Japanese waters (Newmanella radiata, Tesseropora sp., Balanus sp.).