The fundamental role of the cyprid larvae is to select an
appropriate host species, locate a suitable site on the host,
then settle and metamorphose. The juvenile and adult barnacle
will permanently occupy the location that the cyprid has
selected. Several authors have studied in detail the
distribution of cyprid larvae and metamorphosed Octolasmis on
the anatomy of their hosts. For example, on an individual
crustacean host there may be three or four species ofOctolasmis
occupying positions on both the exposed outer surfaces of the
body as well as locations within the host’s gill chamber.
Detailed studies (e.g., see references below) have begun to
document instances both of overlapping and non-overlapping
species distributions on hosts.