MTN 135:9-10 First Record of the Turtle Barnacle Stephanolepas muricata from the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica

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First Record of the Turtle Barnacle Stephanolepas muricata from the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica

Natalia Corrales-Gómez^1,2 & Ángel Herrera-Ulloa^1,2
¹Parque Marino del Pacífico, 400m este Muelle Cruceros, Puntarenas. Costa Rica (E-mail: ncorrales@parquemarino.org);
² Facultad de Ciencias Exactas y Naturales Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica (E-mail: fherrera@una.ac.cr)

The sessile barnacles (Balanomorpha) included in the family Platylepadidae are obligatory symbionts of motile marine animals, with some species occurring solely on turtles, sea snakes, and fish (Newman & Ross 1976; Pfaller et al. 2012). Platylepadid barnacles occur partially to fully embedded within the host’s tissues - producing external wall elaborations that serve to anchor the barnacle (Badillo 2007; Ross & Frick 2007; Zardus & Balazs 2007). Stomatolepadine barnacles like Stephanolepas are characterized by nearly- to fully-encapsulating the shell in host tissue (Ross & Frick 2011). The shell of S. muricata is fragile and has a series of sutural elaborations that radiate outwards so as to cross-anchor the animal deep within the dermis of the host tissue (Fig. 1) (Frick et al. 2011).

Figure 1. Cirripeds Stephanolepas muricata extracted from a hawksbill: A=side view and B=front view.

The first report of S. muricata came from the skin of a hawksbill (Eretmochelys imbricata) turtle captured in the South China Sea, Southeastern Vietnam (Fisher 1886). Subsequent studies have found S. muricata on other sea turtle species – including green turtles (Chelonia mydas), loggerheads (Caretta caretta) and olive ridleys (Lepidochelys olivacea) (Badillo 2007; Frick et al. 2011). Stephanolepas is currently known from turtles in the following regions: Mediterranean-Eastern Atlantic, Indo-West Pacific, Eastern Pacific, Hawaii and the Galapagos Islands (Frick et al. 2011).

The first records of S. muricata from Baja California and Sinaloa, Mexico in olive ridleys was presented by Frick et al. (2011). In this note, we describe the first record of S. muricata on the Central Pacific coast of Costa Rica on a hawksbill turtle.

Figure 2. Gulf of Nicoya and Cedros Island, Costa Rica.

On the night of 22 August, 2008, in the Gulf of Nicoya, Costa Rica, a hawksbill turtle was caught by fishermen near Isla Cedros (Fig. 2) as by-catch from a gillnet. Fishermen removed the turtle from the gillnet and transported it to Parque Marino del Pacífico (Marine Park of the Pacific) where it was admitted for recovery following necessary institutional protocols. The morphometrics of the turtle were 34.6 cm X 29.2 cm (curved carapace length and width), and the turtle’s weight was 3.4 kg. Upon arrival, the turtle was examined for epibionts and we collected specimens of the chelonophilic barnacle, Stephanolepas muricata Fischer, 1886 (Cirripedia: Coronuloidea: Platylepadidae, Figure 2). Ours is the first report of this symbiotic sea turtle barnacle species from Costa Rica.

Figure 3. Stephanolepas muricata in the front flipper of a hawksbill.

Figure 4. Stephanolepas muricata in the rear flipper of a hawksbill.

The hawksbill turtle admitted to Parque Marino hosted numerous S. muricata attached to the leading edges of the front and rear flippers (Figs. 3 & 4), causing deep wounds that altered the normal shape of the flippers. The turtle was placed in fresh water for three days to rehydrate it and to remove epibiota. All barnacles were removed from the turtle’s skin thus causing some superficial bleeding. The resulting wounds were treated successfully with iodine and silver sulfadiazine cream. On 20 March, 2009, the turtle weighed 6.8 kg and was released near Tortuga Island (9.767183° N, -84.907550° W).

Acknowledgments. We thank Cinthya Sancho for helping in treating and healing this sea turtle.

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