Floating plastics as a vector for range expansion: First record of Lepas (Lepas) pectinata Spengler, 1793 (Cirripedia: Lepadidae) in Turkish waters (Eastern Mediterranean).

Abstract

This study reports the first record of the goose barnacle Lepas (Lepas) pectinata Spengler, 1793 (Cirripedia: Lepadidae) in Turkish waters, specifically the northeastern part of the Mediterranean Sea. Specimens were collected from a floating plastic bag and metal beverage cans approximately 1-2 nautical miles off the coast of the Gulf of Mersin during a marine litter survey conducted on 28 January 2025. A total of twelve L. pectinata individuals were identified adhering to the surface of a high-density polyethylene plastic bag of domestic origin. The collected material was examined using stereomicroscopy and identified in accordance with morphological characteristics described in the original taxonomic literature. The presence of L. pectinata, a pelagic barnacle species typically associated with floating substrates in tropical and warm-temperate oceans, suggests its potential for long-distance dispersal facilitated by anthropogenic marine litter. Prior to this study, only three lepadid barnacle species had been documented in Turkish waters: Lepas anatifera, Scalpellum scalpellum, and Octolasmis angulata. The present finding increases the known Lepadidae diversity in the region to four species. This record also underscores the ecological role of buoyant plastic debris as novel artificial habitats and vectors for species distribution in marine ecosystems. Such substrates may serve as vehicles for both native and non-native species, thereby contributing to changes in biogeographical patterns and the potential introduction of alien taxa. Continued monitoring of floating debris and associated biota is essential for understanding species dispersal dynamics and the broader ecological implications of marine plastic pollution.