Light microscope examination of the metamorphosing larvae of barnacles has
been found to be inadequate to describe their characters of taxonomic value
. The use of scanning electron microscope (SEM) is therefore suggested by s
ome workers. The larvae of Chthamalus challengeri Hoek were examined under
SEM to describe the setae and setulation of the appendages. The technique h
as merit to remove some of the discrepancies in larval descriptions of barn
acles reported in the literature from time to time.