Barnacles

Choosing the right place to settle is a major step for young barnacles, as they must choose a favorable spot where they can safely grow. If they make the wrong choice they will suffer, as they cannot move again.

Barnacles are marine animals, commonly found on rocks, driftwood, shells of turtles, whales, and among corals. The acorn barnacles are usually found on the middle part of the seashore. Here, they are regularly covered and uncovered by the tides which bring them food and oxygen. They have small volcanoshaped shells made of four to six plates cemented directly on the rocks. At the top is an opening guarded by more shell plates.These can be opened, and then closed tightly to keep water inside when the tide goes

out. The protective shell is made of chalky calcium carbonate, which is formed by the skin.

Acorn barnacles cannot move around.They feed by pushing some of their limbs through the hole at the top of the shell and holding them out like a fine mesh basket. The basket shape is swept back and forth in the water or held still, allowing currents to sweep small food particles into it. Then the basket is pulled back and the food passed to the mouth inside the shell.

Goose Barnacles

These barnacles attach themselves to floating objects with their long stalks. They look very different from acorn barnacles. Goose barnacles got their name because they look like tiny geese. The stalk looks like the long neck of a goose and the white plates like folded wings. Once, goose barnacles were even thought to be the eggs of barnacle geese.