Barnacle

Various barnacles. From Ernst Haeckel's book " Art Forms of Nature " from 1904. In the middle of a sack of cancer of the genus Sacculina.

The barnacles ( Cirripedia ) are an order of crustaceans ( Crustacea). A total of about 800 species are known, which are all living marine. Adult animals live in or near water sessile or parasitic on other animals.

Features

Barnacles have no limbs, the abdomen is reduced, the body is short and stocky. Originally consists of the thorax of six segments, in which each pair of legs, a gap is formed. The gap legs that consist of bristled limbs ( cirri ) are unsuitable for locomotion. In parasitically live animals they are completely regressed. The body encloses an existing two parts carapace or coat. In sessile life forms, typical calcareous plates are formed, which can form a solid outer casing ( mural crown ).

Reproduction

Barnacles are usually bisexual ( hermaphrodite ). In dioecious species, the males are extremely small ( dwarf males ) and are located on the carapace of the female.

From the egg a Naupliuslarve who spends the first time in the carapace of the female develops. After some time, the larva leaves the carapace in the next larval stage ( metanauplius ) and develops into a Cyprislarve. This has a striking resemblance to the shell cancer. In order to fully develop into an adult animal, the Cyprislarve attached to the front head on a firm surface.

Food

In Portugal and parts of Spain, the belonging to the class of barnacles barnacles ( Pollicipes pollicipes ) are considered a delicacy. The percebes there under the name of animals offered are popular with gourmets to be quite expensive specialty.

System

• Superorder Acrothoracica order Cryptophialida
• Order Lithoglyptida

• Order Akentrogonida
• Order Kentrogonida

• Order Cyprilepadiformes
• Order Ibliformes
• Order Lepadiformes Subordination barnacles ( Lepadomorpha )

Trivia

Charles Darwin conducted its investigations and evidence on the evolution of the barnacles.