# Barnacle (*Balanus balanoides*) Barnacles are small sea creatures that attach themselves to rocks, boats, and even whales! They have hard shells and filter food from the water using feathery legs. - **Category:** [Invertebrate](https://www.snappit.app/explore/categories/invertebrate) - **Rarity:** Common - **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low - **Habitat:** Coastal areas - **Also known as:** Acorn Barnacle, Goose Barnacle ![Barnacle](https://res.cloudinary.com/drieglelr/image/upload/v1771424686/objects/5887.jpg) ## Appearance The Barnacle has a white or gray cone-shaped shell made of overlapping plates. It permanently attaches to surfaces, often appearing like small volcanic bumps. Its feathery legs can be seen filtering water when submerged. ## Taxonomy - **Kingdom:** Animalia - **Phylum:** Arthropoda - **Class:** Cirripedia - **Order:** Sessilia - **Family:** Balanidae - **Genus:** Balanus ## Interesting facts - Barnacles can actually survive out of water by sealing themselves inside their shell. - Did you know barnacles are cousins to crabs and lobsters? Wow! - Some barnacles even grow right on the skin of giant whales! - They attach to a spot head-first, then build their strong shell around themselves! ## Special abilities - **Super Glue Feet:** Barnacle can stick permanently to surfaces using a powerful biological cement that helps them withstand strong waves. - **Feathery Food Traps:** Barnacle has feathery legs called cirri that help them filter tiny food particles from the water current. - **Protective House Builders:** Barnacle has a protective shell of hard plates that helps them defend against predators and harsh environments. ## Measurements & details - **Size:** 3 cm - **Lifespan:** 10 years ## Diet & Feeding Barnacles are filter-feeders, catching tiny plankton and food bits from the water! - **Primary Foods:** phytoplankton, zooplankton, detritus, microscopic larvae - **Foraging Method:** Filter feeding ## Ecological connections - **Eats:** Dogwhelk (*Nucella lapillus*) — drills into barnacle shells for food. - **Eats:** [Ochre Sea Star](https://www.snappit.app/explore/ochre-sea-star) (*Pisaster ochraceus*) — sea stars pry open and consume barnacles. - **Symbiotic with:** [Humpback Whale](https://www.snappit.app/explore/humpback-whale) (*Megaptera novaeangliae*) — some barnacles attach to whales for a ride. ## Traits - [Wildlife](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/wildlife): Wildlife encompasses all undomesticated animal and plant life existing in their natural habitats. - [Nonvascular](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/nonvascular): This trait characterizes plants lacking specialized vascular tissues (xylem and phloem) for transporting water and nutrients. - [Solitary](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/solitary): Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care. - [Spore Producing](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/spore-producing): Spore-producing organisms reproduce by releasing small, often single-celled, reproductive units called spores. - [Filter Feeder](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/filter-feeder): Filter feeders obtain nutrients by straining suspended food particles and small organisms from water. - [Ancient Lineage](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/ancient-lineage): This trait signifies organisms belonging to a very old evolutionary group with ancestors dating back millions of years. - [Coastal](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/coastal): Coastal habitats are dynamic environments located along the interface between land and sea, influenced by tides, waves, and saltwater. - [Marine](https://www.snappit.app/explore/traits/marine): Marine habitats encompass all saltwater environments of the Earth's oceans, supporting an immense diversity of aquatic life. ## Collections - [Invertebrates](https://www.snappit.app/explore/collections/invertebrates) ## Safety **Danger:** 1/5 · Very low Avoid touching barnacles in the wild to protect their delicate habitats. ## Frequently Asked Questions ### How to identify Barnacle? Compare body symmetry, shells, segments, legs, tentacles and how the animal moves. Invertebrates span many unrelated groups, so start with body structure. Invertebrate Identifier: upload a photo and compare the visible details. ### How big is Barnacle? 3 cm ### How long does Barnacle live? 10 years ### What does Barnacle eat? Barnacles are filter-feeders, catching tiny plankton and food bits from the water! ### Where is Barnacle usually found? Coastal areas ### How does Barnacle hunt? Filter feeding ## More Invertebrate - [Coral](https://www.snappit.app/explore/coral) - [Crab Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/crab-spider) (*Mecaphesa asperata*) - [Garden Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/garden-spider) (*Araneus diadematus*) - [Brown Recluse Spider](https://www.snappit.app/explore/brown-recluse-spider) (*Loxosceles reclusa*) --- Source: [Barnacle: Characteristics, Facts & Places to See — Snappit](https://www.snappit.app/explore/barnacle)