Foreign barnacles transported to New Zealand on an oil platform

Twelve species of barnacles were identified from the fouling community on the parts of the `Maui' oil platform that were submerged during its tow from Japan in 1975 and after its arrival in New Zealand. The stalked barnacles #Lepas anatifera# L. var. (a) Darwin, #L. anserifera# L., #Conchoderma auritum# (L.), and #C. virgatum# (spengler) probably settled during the tow across the tropical Pacific, and have been recorded in New Zealand waters before from ships (the Lepas spp.) and vertebrates (the Conchoderma spp.). The acorn barnacles were small, and probably settled in Japanese waters; #Balanus variegatus# Darwin and #B. amphitrite# Darwin already occur in northern New Zealand waters. The other six species-#B. improvisus# Darwin, #B. albicostatus# Pilsbry, #B. reticulatus# Utinomi, #Megabalanus volcano# (pilsbry), #M. rosa# (Pilsbry), and #Tetraclita squamosa japonica# Pilsbry-have not been recorded from New Zealand before. (auth.)