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Barnacle Facts & Worksheets

Cirripedia is the scientific name of the barnacle that comes from the kingdom animalia.

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Cirripedia is the scientific name of the barnacle that comes from the kingdom animalia. Barnacles belong to the phylum of arthropod with the class of crustacean, order of maxillopoda, and family of thecostraca which are closely related to crabs, lobsters, and shrimp.

See the fact file below for more information on the Barnacle or alternatively, you can download our 23-page Barnacle worksheet pack to utilise within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

DESCRIPTION

  • Barnacles are small sea creatures with a shell. They can be found at the bottoms of boats, dock posts and pilings, shoreline rocks, shells, and other submerged surfaces. Aside from that, barnacles can also be seen glued at the body of whales, turtles, crabs and other sea creatures. Most of these sea creatures are not even aware of barnacles on their body as they do not produce harmful effects. They are filter feeders and do not interfere with the animals’ normal diet.
  • There are more than 1,000 known species of barnacles that live in shallow and tidal waters around the world. Many species of barnacles are small; some of them can grow as large as 7cm.

HISTORY OF THE TAXONOMY OF BARNACLE

  • Barnacles were originally classified by Linnaeus and Cuvier as Mollusca, but in 1830, John Vaughan Thompson published observations showing the metamorphosis of the nauplius and cypris larva into adult barnacles, and noted how these larva were similar to those of crustaceans. In 1834, Hermann Burmeister published further information, reinterpreting these findings. The effect was to move barnacles from the phylum of Mollusca to Articulata, showing naturalists that detailed study was needed to reevaluate their taxonomy.
  • Charles Darwin took up this challenge in 1846 and developed his initial interest into a major study, published as a series of monographs in 1851 and 1854. Darwin undertook this study, at the suggestion of his friend Joseph Dalton Hooker, to thoroughly understand at least one species before making the generalizations needed for his theory of evolution by natural selection.

BARNACLE LIFE STAGES

  • Barnacles have two distinct larval stages, the nauplius and the cyprid. The first larval stage of barnacles is called the nauplius, which spends its time floating wherever the wind, waves, currents, and tides may take it while eating and molting.
  • There are extensions on their head that help with their movement and they usually have one eye. This lasts for about two weeks until the second stage is reached.
  • The second larval stage of barnacles is called the cyprid. In this stage, the nauplius metamorphosizes into a non-feeding organism which swims more strongly than nauplius.
  • Cyprid has a mission to find a good surface to settle and cement itself on. It attaches itself to its new spot by its antennas. Within 12 hours of attachment, a mature barnacle with a shell is produced.

TYPES OF BARNACLES

  • Goose Barnacle. This type of barnacle, also called stalked barnacle or gooseneck barnacle, are filter-feeding crustaceans that live attached to the hard surface of rocks and flotsam in the ocean intertidal zone.
  • Acorn Barnacle (Balanus glandula). This type of barnacle lives along rocky shores in the north Atlantic and north Pacific oceans. Once an acorn barnacle attaches as an adult, it surrounds itself with a strong shell that provides it with protection from predators and allows it to trap water during low tide.
  • Thoracica Barnacle. This type of barnacle is a superorder of crustaceans which contains the most familiar species of barnacles found on rocky coasts, such as Semibalanus balanoides and Chthamalus stellatus.
  • Sacculina Barnacle. This type of barnacle is a genus of barnacles that is a parasitic castrator of crabs. They belong to a group called Rhizocephala. The adults bear no resemblance to the barnacles that cover ships and piers; they are recognised as barnacles because their larval forms are like other members of the barnacle class Cirripedia.

MORE INTERESTING BARNACLE FACTS

  • Barnacles can be pink, yellow, orange, green, brown, black, white, cream, or covered with stripes. The color of the body matches with the colors of the habitat and provides camouflage.
  • Barnacles can reach up to 7 centimeters depending on the species.
  • Barnacles are omnivores. Its diet is based on plankton and algae. Barnacles feed themselves using the 6 pairs of feather-like feet called “cirri”. Cirri are not only used for feeding because it is also used by barnacles to breathe.
  • Barnacles do not have a heart and gills.
  • Barnacles swim for only a short time and spend the rest of its life attached to the hard surface.
  • Barnacles are hermaphrodites which means that they possess both types of reproductive organs, but they cannot reproduce by using self-fertilization. Mating season of barnacles takes place during the autumn and winter when the water has a low temperature.
  • Barnacle predators are fish, crabs, and humans.
  • Barnacles often choose to settle in the areas where plenty of other species of barnacles already exist because it is the best area where food is plenty.
  • Barnacles do have senses. They are very sensitive to touch using the tiny hairs on their limbs. They also have a singular eye capable of sensing light and dark.
  • Conservation status of most species of barnacle is least concern.

Barnacle Worksheets

This is a fantastic bundle which includes everything you need to know about Barnacle across 23 in-depth pages. These are ready-to-use Barnacle worksheets that are perfect for teaching students about the Cirripedia which is the scientific name of the barnacle that comes from the kingdom animalia. Barnacles belong to the phylum of arthropod with the class of crustacean, order of maxillopoda, and family of thecostraca which are closely related to crabs, lobsters, and shrimp.

Complete List Of Included Worksheets

  • Barnacle Facts
  • Life Stages
  • Barnacle Types
  • Charles Darwin’s Discoveries
  • Great Discoverers
  • Knowing More
  • Word Search
  • Research Time
  • Jumbled Words
  • Escape the Maze
  • Fact or Bluff

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Link will appear as Barnacle Facts & Worksheets: https://kidskonnect.com - KidsKonnect, July 11, 2019

Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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