Description: This goose barnacle is usually found subtidally, attached to a wide range of epifauna on which it is often well-hidden. It is often a silty grey-brown in colour helping it to remain inconspicuous. The capitulum is made up of 14 plates, 7 on each side and has a beak-like shape. This is the only goose barnacle likely to be found in sublittoral shelf areas around Britain and Ireland.

Habitat: Attached to epifauna in the subtidal, often very inconspicuous. Occurs inshore and offshore.

Distribution: Recorded all around Britain and Ireland.

Similar Species: Unlikely to be confused with any other species, any goose barnacle found in the sublittoral shelf in this area is highly likely to be this species.

Key Identification Features:

• Goose barnacle growing attached to other epifauna in the sublittoral.
• Silty grey-brown and inconspicuous.
• Beak-shaped capitulum.

Distribution Map from NBN: Scalpellum scalpellum at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

iNaturalist: Scalpellum scalpellum at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

GBIF data for Scalpellum scalpellum

WoRMS: Scalpellum scalpellum at World Register of Marine Species. Accepted name: Scalpellum scalpellum (Linnaeus, 1767). AphiaID: 106204.

Classification: Biota; Animalia; Arthropoda; Crustacea; Multicrustacea; Thecostraca; Cirripedia; Thoracica; Thoracicalcarea; Scalpellomorpha; Scalpelloidea; Scalpellidae; Scalpellinae; Scalpellum