Amphibalanus venustu s (Darwin, 1854)

(Figs 9 a–f)

Material examined. ZUTC-cirri 1161, 1162, 1163, 1164, 1165, 1166.

Persian Gulf. Nilsson-Cantell (1938) as Balanus amphitrite niveus from an unknown locality; Utinomi (1969) as B. venustus venustus from Bahrain, Bushehr, Kish Island and as B. venustus niveus from Bahrain and Kish Island; Basson et al. (1977) as Balanus venustus from Saudi Arabia (Fig. 1); present study.

Gulf of Oman. Utinomi (1969) as B. venustus venustus from an unknown locality; present study.

General distribution and habitat. Indo-West Pacific and Atlantic; low intertidal to subtidal on various substrata; fouling species (Henry & McLaughlin 1975; present study).

Descriptive features and remarks. Radi and ala white, parietes purple with horizontal and vertical white lines (Figs 9 e, f). Scutum with apex recurved, externally with indistinct striations (Figs 9 a, b). Articular ridge of tergum long, curved (Figs 9 c, d). Largest specimen (ZUTC-cirri 1161) with basal diameter 13.69 mm, height 13.47 mm. Specimens were collected from mollusc shells and various floating objects at Mahshahr (30° 10′N, 50° 37′E), Nayband (27° 23'N, 52° 39'E), Parsian (27° 02'N, 53° 16'E), Bandar-Lengeh (26° 30'N, 54° 39'E) and Chabahar Bay (25° 19'N, 60° 37'E) (fig. 1).