#9 Barnacles

#9 Barnacles (Cirripede)

Common Name: Barnacles

Description

- White/grey

- The size of a thimble

- They have an exoskeleton with bilateral symmetry

- Barnacles are a kind of crustacean and are known as a nuisance to most because of the way they attach themselves to hard surfaces and animals

- Barnacles are suspension feeders, sweeping small food into their mouth with their curve feet

- They are covered with hard calcareous plates, which they shut firmly when the tide goes out

Taxonomy

- Kingdom: Animalia

- Phylum: Arthropoda

- Subphylum: Crustacea

- Class: Maxillopoda

- Order: Sessilia

- Family: Balanidae

- Genus: Balanus

- Species: B. Balanus

Ecology

- Barnacles reproduce sexually, and produce little Nauplius larvae which disperse in the plankton. They change into Cypris and attach to surfaces to form new barnacles.

- Barnacles are of economical consequence because they often attach to man made structures, sometimes destroying it.

- Some barnacles are edible and goose barnacles are considered a delicacy in Spain and Portugal