Barnacles
The Barnacles Synopsis updates Bassindale’s classic work on British Barnacles (1966) and Rainbow (1984). An identification key for adult barnacles leads to species accounts, covering diagnostic characters, distribution and reproduction.
Barnacles are familiar objects to mariners and seaside tourists. They encrust rocky shores and harbours, growing on boats and other floating objects. In fact their range extends from the high water splash zone to the depths of the ocean. Moreover in their larval stages they are free-swimming, forming part of the plankton.
This is the first Synopsis to include colour plates in addition to line drawings. Since skin lining the opercular plates (the tergo-scutal flaps) is distinctively coloured, it is a very helpful aid to identification. Coverage of the seas surrounding Britain and Ireland extends to a depth of 200 metres.
Synopses of the British Fauna is a series of identification guides. Each volume in the series is a detailed account of a group of animals. They bridge the gap between standard field guides and more specialised monograph or treatise. Since 1993 the the Field Studies Council has published these guides on behalf of the Linnean Society.
These volumes are suitable for the lab or field. The editors aim to keep them as user friendly as possible, with technical terminology at a minimum and a glossary of terms. However the complexity of the subject matter makes the books more suitable for the more experienced practitioner.