Distinguishing Characteristics |
Shelled body flat, triangular shaped, wide at the bottom, narrows to a point, compressed; 5 calcareous plates, plates overlap, no gaps in between, color off-white to bluish, sometimes with brown stripes crossing radial ridges; plates have radiating ridges and grooves, sometimes with strong spines; lower plates (scuta) triangular or quadrangular with well-defined growth lines, has the radiating ridges, sometimes with a cross-hatch look; upper plates (terga) nearly triangular but may have flat top, have a notch on the margin by the scuta; narrow singular side plate (carina) forked at the bottom, sometimes heavily barbed; fleshy stalk (peduncle) between shell and substrate used to attach or substrate, usually as long or shorter than shelled part (capitulum), may be hidden in shell, brownish to yellowish in color; feathery appendages extend from opposite end of shell when feeding; |
Similar Species |
Like the goose barnacle, L. anserifera, the small goose barnacle has radial striations, possibly somewhat deeper and wider than the L. anserifera. L. anserifera rarely has a barbed carina and its terga does not have a notch on its margin by the scuta. Also the small goose barnacle has well-defined growth lines. |
Habitat |
Gulf, found attached to floating debris, common on gulfweed (Sargassum) |
Maximum Size |
1.5 cm (1/2 in), smaller than other goose barnacles |
Other Common Names |
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Previous Scientific Names |
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