F. Pitombo

Geometric morphometrics for taxonomy: an examination of opercular plate shapes of twelve species of Amphibalanus Pitombo, 2004 (Cirripedia: Balanidae)

The taxonomy of the barnacle genus Amphibalanus has long been obscured by morphological plasticity and overlapping diagnostic traits, particularly within the amphitrite complex. Using landmark-based geometric morphometrics of the opercular plates (tergum and scutum), we examined 12 species to assess their taxonomic dis...