Balanus (Barnacles)
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Barnacles are exclusively marine crustaceans that live in shallow, tidal waters. They are sessile, filter-feeding encrusting organisms with shells composed of calcite. Most barnacles are hermaphroditic and have a life cycle that begins as a nauplius larva and progresses to a cyprid larva and then to an adult form. Some representative barnacle species include Balanus glandula, Balanus crenatus, Balanus nubilus, and Pollicipes polymerus, which vary in shell appearance and habitat.
Balanus (Barnacles)
- 1. Subphylum Crustacea, Class Maxillopoda, Sublass Thecostraca
- 2. Balanus (Barnacles) Balanus Exclusively marine Shallow and tidal waters Roughly circular
- 3. Balanus (Barnacles) Sessile Filter-feeders Encrusters Shells composed of calcite Most are hermaphroditic
- 7. Balanus (Barnacles) Life Cycle Fertilized egg Nauplius Cyprid Adult
- 8. Nauplius
- 9. Cyprid
- 10. Balanus (Barnacles) Representative species: 1. Balanus glandula (Common acorn barnacle) -rugged white shell with a base that is not much wider than the top -shallow rocky area
- 11. Balanus glandula
- 12. Balanus (Barnacles) 2. Balanus crenatus (Crenate barnacle) -flat & white -attaches to discarded bottles and other debris
- 13. Balanus crenatus
- 14. Balanus crenatus
- 15. Balanus (Barnacles) 3. Balanus nubilus (Giant barnacle) -Rugged white shell with two inner plates that close -Can grow individually, but often seen in dense clusters growing on top of one another.
- 16. Balanus nubilus
- 17. Balanus nubilus
- 18. Balanus (Barnacles) 4. Pollicipes polymerus (Gooseneck barnacle) -dense colonies on shallow, current swept reefs and walls -exterior shell covered with distinctive white plates