VLIZ Alien Species Consortium (2022). Megabalanus tintinnabulum. Niet-inheemse soorten in het Belgisch deel van de Noordzee en aanpalende estuaria = Non-indigenous species from the Belgian part of the North Sea and estuaria. VLIZ Alien Species Consortium (VLIZ): Oostende. Diff. pag. pp.
Part of: Niet-inheemse soorten in het Belgisch deel van de Noordzee en omliggende estuaria = Non-indigenous species from the Belgian part of the North Sea and estuaria. VLIZ Alien Species Consortium (VLIZ): Ostend. ISSN 2983-5518, more
Related to:
VLIZ Alien Species Consortium (2020). Megabalanus tintinnabulum - Zeetulp, in: Verleye, T. et al.Niet-inheemse soorten in het Belgisch deel van de Noordzee en aanpalende estuaria. VLIZ Special Publication, 86: pp. 255-260, more
Originally, the giant purple barnacle Megabalanus tintinnabulum occurred only in tropical waters. The precise area of origin is unknown, although some refer to the African West Coast and the Indo-Pacific region. The species was already observed in the Netherlands in 1764 on ship hulls. In 1998, populations of this exotic species were discovered on buoys along the Belgian coast. The giant purple barnacle belongs to the biofouling community of ship hulls and other hard surfaces. Because of its size, this species competes with indigenous barnacles.
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