Barnacle borings in live and dead hosts from the Louisiana Limestone (Famennian) of Missouri

Abstract

Acrothoracican barnacle borings are reported for the first time from the Louisiana Limestone (Upper Devonian-Famennian) of Missouri. Evidence of barnacle attachment to and excavation of a live host shell is provided by secretory blisters on one brachiopod specimen and by the preserved life orientation of a barnacle-bored brachiopod. Post-mortem attachment of barnacles is indicated by the location of borings on the shell interior, hinge, broken shell surface, and cardinal area of the blistered brachiopod and by borings on the cardinal area of the pedicle valve of the brachiopod Syringothyris.