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Densely packed concentrations of sessile barnacles (Cirripedia: Sessilia) from the Early Pliocene of SE Spain

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Abstract

Sessile barnacle assemblages, dominated by Concavus concavus (Bronn) and Balanus perforatus Bruguière, are very abundant in the Lower Pliocene deposits of the Almería-Níjar and Carboneras basins (southeastern Spain). They occur in shallow-coastal siliciclastic and mixed siliciclastic-carbonate sediments, forming dense concentrations in two contexts: (1) sheltered shallow-marine depressions and (2) the mouth of distributary channels feeding a delta lobe. Extensive colonization took place during periods of quiescence with a high nutrient and food supply inducing the formation of hummocks. Crowding of high morphotypes was presumably triggered by a high larval supply and recruitment rate. The barnacles are exceptionally well preserved, often as in situ clusters, many with opercula, and include a range of ontogenetic stages with some specimens preserving original colouration. Good preservation is probably due to sudden burial without further reworking.

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Acknowledgements

We thank Dr Taviani and an anonymous reviewer for their comments and suggestions that have improved the quality of the paper. We also acknowledge the editorial work made by Dr Freiwald. JA, JMM and JCB have been supported by the projects CGL2004-04342/BTE, funded by the Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia of Spain, and RNM 0190, funded by the Junta de Andalucía. CB and BB acknowledge funding by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (Be 1272/6, 13). Special thanks go to Christine Laurin for correcting the English text.

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  1. Departamento de Estratigrafía y Paleontología, Facultad de Ciencias, Campus de Fuentenueva s.n, Universidad de Granada, 18002, Granada, Spain

    Julio Aguirre, José M. Martín & Juan C. Braga

  2. Geologisch-Paläontologisches Institut, Universität Hamburg, Bundesstr. 55, 20146, Hamburg, Germany

    Christian Betzler & Björn Berning

  3. Institut für Erdwissenschaften, Universität Graz, Heinrichstr. 26, 8010, Graz, Austria

    Björn Berning

  4. School of Civil, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, RMIT University, Melbourne, 3001, VIC, Australia

    John S. Buckeridge

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  1. Julio Aguirre
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Correspondence to Julio Aguirre.

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Aguirre, J., Martín, J.M., Braga, J.C. et al. Densely packed concentrations of sessile barnacles (Cirripedia: Sessilia) from the Early Pliocene of SE Spain. Facies 54, 193–206 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10347-007-0132-2

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