A possible lepadomorph barnacle from the Maastrichtian (Upper Cretaceous) of Jamaica, West Indies

Abstract

Fossil barnacles are poorly known from the West Indies in general and Jamaica in particular. The only records from Jamaica to date have been of occasional balanomorphs collected from Neogene deposits (Newman and Ladd, 1974; Morris, in press). It is therefore significant to report what may be the first fossil lepadomorph from the island, preserved as a scaled peduncle. This is also the oldest known Jamaican, and probably Caribbean, barnacle, coming from the Upper Cretaceous. This specimen was discovered by the junior author in the Geology Museum, University of the West Indies at Mona. Barnacle terminology used herein follows that of Newman et al. (1969).