Acorn Barnacle
Semibalanus balanoides
Acorn barnacles live fixed to rocks, piers, shells, and ship hulls in the wave-splashed intertidal zone of the North Atlantic. They feed by opening their plates under water and sweeping feathery legs called cirri through the current to catch plankton. When exposed to air or threatened, the shell closes tightly to conserve moisture and protect the soft body inside. A notable fact is that each individual cements itself permanently in place after its free-swimming larval stage.
- Type
- Shell
- Conservation status
- NE
Growth chain
- ?
- ?
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- Acorn Barnacle