16 Interesting Facts About Barnacle

                        Name : Animalia
                         Class : Crustacea
                      Family : Thecostraca
                       Origin : Worldwide

       Scientific Name : Cirripedia
                      Size(L) : 1cm - 7cm 
                                      ( 0.4in - 2.7in)
                  Life Span : 8 - 20 years

                      Colour : Black, White, 
                                      Yellow, Cream
                 Skin Type : Shell
Distinctive Features : Latch on to hard
                                     surfaces and shell 
                                     made up from plates

1. Barnacles are a species of crustacean, closely related to crabs and lobsters.
2. They are found in, or very close to, sea water across the world.
3. There are more than 1000 known species of barnacle that inhabit shallow or tidal waters.
4. Most of them are very small with few growing up to 7 cms.
5. They have a hard outer shell that is made of calcite.
6. They cannot move on their own and permanently attach themselves to the substrate they live on.
7. They attach themselves to animals in the larvae stage and then their outer shell is produced.
8. Though some are parasitic, most Barnacles are harmless and are filter feeders.
9. They do not disturb the animals they are attached to in any way.
10. They draw water into their shells and feed on the strained food particles from that water.
11. They are mostly seen on crabs, whales, boats, rocks and on shells of sea turtles.
12. They have many predators in their larvae stage but not many after their outer shell is formed.
13. They are hermaphroditic but do not self-fertilize their eggs.
14. It takes more than 6 months for the larvae to develop into adult barnacles.
15. They are one of the oldest creatures on earth and have not changed much over the years.
16. They are one of the very few animals which are not much affected by water pollution.