Project Description
Barnacle
Scientific name: Various species such as Semibalanus balanoides (Acorn Barnacle)
Size: Up to 3cm across (usually much smaller)
Colour: Off-white or cream
Habitat: Rocky shores, on bare rock faces
Facts:
- Barnacles push a feathery ‘hand’ through a hatch in the top of their shell, which they use to catch plankton.
- When young, they drift around in the ocean resembling very small shrimps.
- Despite looking rather like a limpet, they are actually related to crabs and lobsters.
- Their shells are quite fragile, so you need to be careful when walking on the rocks.
Photo credit: Paul Naylor
www.marinephoto.co.uk
