Abstract

LOPEZ-ARGUETA, Eduardo  and  LOPEZ-VILA, Jesús Manuel. Record of Conchoderma virgatum (Maxilopoda: Lepadidae) occurring on Hydrophis platurus (Reptilia: Elapidae) in Puerto Arista Sanctuary beach, Tonalá, Chiapas, Mexico. TIP [online]. 2022, vol.25, e518.  Epub June 23, 2023. ISSN 1405-888X.  https://doi.org/10.22201/fesz.23958723e.2022.518.

In the tourist zone of the Puerto Arista Sanctuary and 70 meters inside the beach line, on the coast of the state of Chiapas, Mexico, what is known as epibionts of a colony of the barnacle Conchoderma virgatum (Spengler, 1790) was found attached to the caudal section of a live pelagic sea snake, Hydrophis platurus (Linnaeus, 1766). Twenty-three epibionts were counted, each with an average length of 1.2 cm; the snake measured 61.97 cm in length and was subsequently relocated. The record is a novelty for the sanctuary area and unusual to find it in the terrestrial environment.

Keywords : epibiont; pelagic sea snake; Mexican southern Pacific; barnacle.