Lists of species underpin many fields of human endeavour, but there are currently no universally accepted principles for deciding which biological species should be accepted when there are alternative taxonomic treatments (and, by extension, which scientific names should be applied to those species). As improvements in information technology make it easier to communicate, access, and aggregate biodiversity information, there is a need for a framework that helps taxonomists and the users of taxonomy decide which taxa and names should be used by society whilst continuing to encourage taxonomic research that leads to new species discoveries, new knowledge of species relationships, and the refinement of existing species concepts. Here, we present 10 principles that can underpin such a governance framework, namely (i) the species list must be based on science and free from nontaxonomic considerations and interference, (ii) governance of the species list must aim for community support and use, (iii) all decisions about list composition must be transparent, (iv) the governance of validated lists of species is separate from the governance of the names of taxa, (v) governance of lists of accepted species must not constrain academic freedom, (vi) the set of criteria considered sufficient to recognise species boundaries may appropriately vary between different taxonomic groups but should be consistent when possible, (vii) a global list must balance conflicting needs for currency and stability by having archived versions, (viii) contributors need appropriate recognition, (ix) list content should be traceable, and (x) a global listing process needs both to encompass global diversity and to accommodate local knowledge of that diversity. We conclude by outlining issues that must be resolved if such a system of taxonomic list governance and a unified list of accepted scientific names generated are to be universally adopted.

A new deep-sea stalked barnacle, Vulcanolepas scotiaensis sp. nov. is described from hydrothermal vents at depths of 2400-2600 metres along segments of the East Scotia Ridge and from 1400 metres in the Kemp Caldera. Both locations are areas of volcanic activity that lie on the Antarctic-South American Ocean Ridge complex near the South Sandwich Islands. This discovery confirms a wide distribution in southern seas for Vulcanolepas, complementing the previous records from deep-sea vents in the Lau Basin and Kermadec Ridge in the southwest Pacific, and the Pacific Antarctic Ridge in the southeast Pacific. V. scotiaensis sp. nov., the third described species of Vulcanolepas shows an extraordinary range in morphology, requiring a reassessment of the original diagnosis for Vulcanolepas. Although the morphological envelope of V. scotiaensis sp. nov. includes representatives with a peduncle to capitulum ratio similar to that observed in most neolepadines, the peduncle generally shows greater proportional length than in species in any neolepadine genus except Leucolepas; it is distinguished from other species of Vulcanolepas by a broader capitulum, much smaller imbricating scales on the peduncle and more ornamented capitulum plates. The morphological diversity of V. scotiaensis sp. nov. is interpreted as having arisen due to abrupt changes in water temperature.LSID: urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:AA2AFDA5-0B08-466A-A584-D3FDBDE9DA61.

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The discovery of two diminutive and very distinct ibliform barnacles from shallow waters off northern New Zealand and northeastern Tasmania provides an opportunity to re-evaluate the Iblidae, the most primitive of the living thoracicans. These are retained within the Superorder Thoracica, but are distinguished at ordinal level from the remainder of the Pedunculata s.l. The resultant new order, the Ibliformes nov., comprises barnacles with predominantly chitinous rather than calcareous capitular plates; two families are recognized, the Iblidae s.s., comprising two subfamilies, the Iblinae (Ibla s.s.) and the Neoiblinae nov. (Neoibla gen. nov.), and the Idioiblidae nov. comprising the Idioiblinae nov. (Idioibla gen. nov.) and the Chaetolepadinae nov. (Chaetolepas Studer, 1889 and Chitinolepas gen. nov.). The monotypic Chitinolepas further highlights the high endemism and relict nature of the New Zealand marine fauna in particular and the southern hemisphere in general. On the basis of morphology and, where possible, genetic and larval work, it is recommended that the remainder of the stalked thoracicans be divided between three new orders, the †Cyprilepadiformes, Ibliformes, Lepadiformes and Scalpelliformes.

Sessile barnacle assemblages, dominated by Concavus concavus (Bronn) and Balanus perforatus Bruguière, are very abundant in the Lower Pliocene deposits of the Almería-Níjar and Carboneras basins (southeastern Spain). They occur in shallow-coastal siliciclastic and mixed siliciclastic-carbonate sediments, forming dense concentrations in two contexts: (1) sheltered shallowmarine depressions and (2) the mouth of distributary channels feeding a delta lobe. Extensive colonization took place during periods of quiescence with a high nutrient and food supply inducing the formation of hummocks. Crowding of high morphotypes was presumably triggered by a high larval supply and recruitment rate. The barnacles are exceptionally well preserved, often as in situ clusters, many with opercula, and include a range of ontogenetic stages with some specimens preserving original colouration. Good preservation is probably due to sudden burial without further reworking.

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When waikalasma was first recorded from early Miocene strata in New Zealand (Buckeridge, 1983) it was described as possessing eight compartmental plates but lacking basal whorls of imbricating plates. However, subsequent study and comparison of the holotype with extant Chionelasmus has shown that the remnants of several small plates remaining at the base of the rostrum represent the remains of two or three basal whorls (Figure 1). Furthermore, new evidence concerning the structure of the wall of the Chionelasmatinae has indicated not only that the true or median latus has been replaced by the carinolatus in balanomorphs, but that an additional or secondary carinolatus has been added in higher balanomorphs (Yamaguchi and Newman, 1990). The structure of the wall in Waikalasma can now be reinterpreted in light of these findings (Figure 2). It turns out, in terms of current phylogeny, that Waikalasma should be placed amongst the most primitive of the balanomorph barnacles, representing an important step in balanomorph evolution rather than simply an evolutionary offshoot as envisaged by Buckeridge (1983) and Foster and Buckeridge (1987) (Figure 3).