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Reproductive strategy of two deep-sea scalpellid barnacles (Crustacea: Cirripedia: Thoracica) associated with decapods and pycnogonids and the first description of a penis in scalpellid dwarf males

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Abstract

We investigated the sexual system in two pedunculate barnacles of the family Scalpellidae. Both inhabit deep water and are attached to mobile arthropod hosts. Verum brachiumcancri was attached to the majid crab Rochinia hertwigi, and Weltnerium nymphocola to the pycnogonidan sea spider Boreonymphon rubrum. Both barnacles have separate sexes and females almost always carry two dwarf males that are almost fully embedded in a pair of symmetrically situated receptacles inside the rim of the mantle cavity. The dwarf males of V. brachiumcancri have a complex penile structure extending into the female mantle cavity. This is the first time a copulatory structure has been described in detail for a dwarf male of a scalpellid barnacle. Both species lack free nauplii and their larvae are released as cyprids; the brood size is small. This is probably an adaptation for settling close to the parent population. We compare reproductive strategies among scalpellids and suggest that the present males are highly specialized and that the females are allocating resources to few offspring.

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Acknowledgments

We are grateful for grants from the EU framework 6 Synthesys-2 program to J.T.H. (SE-TAF-5157, FR -TAF-3050, GB-TAF-2261, DE-TAF -2268). J.T.H. was also financed by the Danish Council for Independent Research (09-06 3868-FNU) and L.B.M. by the Institute of Marine Research. We are indebted to Dr. O. Colemann at the Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin for his very generous hospitality and a loan of specimens. We also thank the Zoological Museum in Bergen, Norway for the loan of specimens.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Benthic Habitat Research Group, Institute of Marine Research, P.B. 1870, Nordnes, 5817, Bergen, Norway

    Lene Buhl-Mortensen

  2. Marine Biology Section, Department of Biology, University of Copenhagen, Universitetsparken 4, 2100, Copenhagen, Denmark

    Jens T. Høeg

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  1. Lene Buhl-Mortensen
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  2. Jens T. Høeg
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Correspondence to Lene Buhl-Mortensen.

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Buhl-Mortensen, L., Høeg, J.T. Reproductive strategy of two deep-sea scalpellid barnacles (Crustacea: Cirripedia: Thoracica) associated with decapods and pycnogonids and the first description of a penis in scalpellid dwarf males. Org Divers Evol 13, 545–557 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s13127-013-0137-3

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