Goose barnacles on seals and a penguin at Gough Island

A rare observation of goose barnacles (Lepas australis) attached to marine mammals and a penguin at Gough Island was documented during a seal survey in 2009. The study recorded these parasites on two elephant seals (Mirounga leonina), one vagrant Antarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus gazella), and a Northern rockhopper penguin (Eudyptes chrysocome moseleyi). This finding highlights the presence of such barnacles in this remote Subantarctic ecosystem, where they are typically associated with seabirds. The survey, conducted in September and October 2009, involved examining 12 elephant seals and seven Antarctic fur seals, providing novel insights into parasite-host interactions in this region.

Reisinger, R. R., & Bester, M. N. (2010). Goose barnacles on seals and a penguin at Gough Island. African Zoology, 45(1), 129–132. https://doi.org/10.1080/15627020.2010.11657262