Gooseneck Barnacle
ExploreInvertebrate
Gooseneck Barnacle
pollicipes polymerus
The Gooseneck Barnacle is a unique sea creature that clings tightly to rocks in the ocean. Its long, flexible stalk allows it to reach up for food while staying securely attached!
Habitat: Coastal waters and rocky shorelines
Appearance
The Gooseneck Barnacle has a long, flexible, reddish-brown stalk, ending in a cluster of white, calcified plates. It often looks like a stony flower or a small, curved neck attached to rocks, with a distinctive dark 'goose neck' base, different from typical flat barnacles.
KingdomAnimaliaPhylumArthropodaClassMaxillopodaOrderPedunculataFamilyPollicipedidaeGenusPollicipes
Category
InvertebrateRarity
Common
Danger
0/5 · No known danger
Snaps
Be the first to snap!
Interesting facts
Barnacles start life as tiny, free-swimming larvae before finding a spot to settle down!
Believe it or not, barnacles are closer relatives to crabs and lobsters than to clams!
Some people in coastal regions consider Gooseneck Barnacles a delicious seafood delicacy!
The glue a barnacle makes is one of the strongest natural adhesives known to science!
Special abilities
Ability
Super Glue Feet
Gooseneck Barnacle can stick incredibly tightly to rocks because of a natural, super-strong cement it produces.
Ability
Feathery Grabbers
Gooseneck Barnacle has feathery legs that help them sweep tiny food from passing water currents into their mouth.
Ability
Flexible Neck
Gooseneck Barnacle has a rubbery stalk that helps them sway with strong ocean waves without breaking off.
Measurements & details
- Length
- 10 cm
- Weight
- 25 g
- Lifespan
- 15 years
Diet & Feeding
These barnacles filter tiny bits of food, like plankton, directly from the ocean water.
Primary Foods
- phytoplankton
- zooplankton
- detritus
Foraging Method
- Filter Feeding
Ecological connections
eaten by
Ochre Sea Star
Pisaster ochraceus
These sea stars use their suction cups to pull barnacles off rocks.
eaten by
Frilled Dogwinkle
Nucella lamellosa
This snail can drill into the barnacle's shell to eat the soft tissues.
eaten by
Black Oystercatcher
Haematopus bachmani
These birds use their strong beaks to pry Gooseneck Barnacles off rocks.
Traits
Solitary
Solitary animals live alone for most of their lives, only interacting with others for mating or parental care.
Filter Feeder
Filter feeders obtain nutrients by straining suspended food particles and small organisms from water.
Aquatic
Aquatic habitats encompass environments where organisms live predominantly in water, including oceans, rivers, lakes, and wetlands.
Marine
Marine habitats encompass all saltwater environments of the Earth's oceans, supporting an immense diversity of aquatic life.
Also known as
Pollicipes
Collections
Safety
Danger
0/5 · No known danger
No special safety notes yet.
Frequently Asked Questions
How long is Gooseneck Barnacle?
10 cm
How much does Gooseneck Barnacle weigh?
25 g
How long does Gooseneck Barnacle live?
15 years
What does Gooseneck Barnacle eat?
These barnacles filter tiny bits of food, like plankton, directly from the ocean water.
Where is Gooseneck Barnacle usually found?
Coastal waters and rocky shorelines
How does Gooseneck Barnacle hunt?
Filter Feeding
Snap Map
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Recent Snaps
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