Dear marmam community,

My colleagues and I are pleased to announce that we have recently been funded by NSF to construct a genomic phylogeny of the whale and turtle barnacles. Within a year’s time or so, we hope to obtain the needed specimens and ask you to keep us in mind when a stranding occurs in your region.

We are sending this request broadly not because we need large numbers of samples, but because of the six target species several are not common (comments below). The specimens need to be preserved as fresh as possible. This could mean (in order of desirability): 1) preserving in RNAlater™ (we can supply beforehand if you have a crystal ball on strandings), 2) freezing specimens, and 3) preserving in ethanol (95% is better than 70%).

As lead PI, I have a NOAA-NMFS parts authorization letter available on request which permits me to obtain barnacle material with adhering cetacean tissue. I can also supply a collection protocol as needed. Samples should be shipped to me with advance notice, and I can provide information for shipment billing.

Please contact me if you have any questions or suggestions and thank you for any contributions you can make.

Regards, John Zardus

John.zardus@citadel.edu

Department of Biology

The Citadel

2 Jones Ave., 119 Duckett Hall

Charleston, SC 29407

843-953-5203

Target barnacle species:

Coronula diadema – humpbacks most anywhere and possibly other whales

Cryptolepas rhachianecti – California gray whales only

Xenobalanus globicipitis – dolphins worldwide

Coronula reginae – reported from humpbacks most anywhere and other whales but bona fide specimens seem scarce. They are similar to C. diadema

Tubicinella major – southern right whales only, so far as known

Cetopirus complanatus – reported from southern and maybe northern right whales, maybe others, not seen in decades, may be extinct