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Amphibalanus amphitrite - Striped barnacle

Current distribution Amphibalanus amphitrite (Darwin, 1854) (433 OBIS-datapoints, 3491 GBIF-datapoints)
The striped barnacle Amphibalanus amphitrite is a cosmopolitan barnacle native to nearly all tropical and subtropical seas. It is a typical biofouling species that can be transported over large distances attached to ship hulls. The first specimen was found in 1952 in an oyster farm in the port of Ostend. However, it was not until February 1995 that the striped barnacle was observed regularly along our coast. Initially, it was assumed that the animals would not survive the low winter temperatures, but this proved not to be the case. The striped barnacle has been commonly found in the Port of Ostend since 2011. This species thrives in areas with certain physical stress or degree of pollution.