Description of a new species of coral-inhabiting barnacle, Darwiniella angularis sp. n. (Cirripedia, Pyrgomatidae) from Taiwan

Abstract

The present study has identified a new species from the previously monotypic genus Darwiniella Anderson, 1992. Darwiniella angularis sp. n. is similar to D. conjugatum (Darwin, 1854) in external shell morphology and arthropodal characters. Darwiniella conjugatum, however, has a sharper tergal spur and a less obvious adductor plate angle when compared to D. angularis sp. n. Molecular analyses on mitochondrial DNA 12S rDNA and COI regions also support the morphological differences. Sequence divergences in 12S rDNA and COI between D. conjugatum and D. angularis sp. n. are 5% and 13% respectively, which are equivalent to the inter-specific sequence divergences in other barnacles. Both Darwiniella species are common on Cyphastrea Milne-Edwards and Haime, 1848 corals and D. angularis sp. n. is also collected from Astreopora de Blainville, 1830 corals in Taiwan. © Yi-Yang Chen et al.