NGC 1380 is a lenticular galaxy located near the centre of the Fornax Cluster
northeast of NGC 1399. The globular cluster system of this galaxy was
previously studied only from the ground. Recent studies of similar early-type
galaxies, specially lenticular ones, reveal the existence of star clusters that
apparently break up the traditional open/globular cluster dichotomy. With
higher quality photometry from HST/WFPC2 we study the star clusters in NGC
1380, measuring their magnitudes, colours, sizes and projected distances from
the centre of the galaxy. We used deep archival HST/WFPC2 in the B and V bands.
We built colour magnitude diagrams from which we selected a sample of cluster
candidates. We also analysed their colour distribution and measured their
sizes. Based on their location in the luminosity-size diagram we estimated
probabilities of them being typical globular clusters as those found in the
Galaxy. A total of about 570 cluster candidates were found down to V=26.5. We
measured sizes for approximately 200 of them. The observed colour distribution
has three apparent peaks. Likewise for the size distribution. We identified the
smaller population as being mainly typical globular clusters, while the more
extended objects have small probabilities of being such objects. Different
correlations between absolute magnitudes, sizes, colours and location were
inferred for these cluster sub-populations. Most extended clusters (Reff > 4
pc) share similar properties to the diffuse star clusters reported to inhabit
luminous early-type galaxies in the Virgo galaxy cluster such as being of low
surface brightness and fainter than MV ~ -8. We also report on a small group of
(Reff ~ 10 pc), -8< MV < -6, red clusters located near the centre of NGC 1380,
which may be interpreted as faint fuzzies.Comment: accepted for publication in A&