Darkfield photomicrograph, Barnacle larval stage
Barnacles, also called cirripedes, any of more than 1000 predominantly marine crustaceans of the subclass Cirripedia highly modified for sedentary life. There are about 850 free-living species (all marine) and about 260 species that are internal parasites of crabs and other crustaceans. As adults, typical barnacles are covered with calcareous plates and are cemented, head down, to rocks, pilings, ships’ hulls, driftwood, or seaweed, or to the bodies of larger sea creatures, from clams to whales. They trap tiny particles of food by means of cirri—feathery retractile organs formed by metamorphosis of certain of their swimming legs.
Size: 3744px × 5616px
Photo credit: © Scenics & Science / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: barnacle, biodiversity, cirri, darkfield, feather, larval, marine, microscope, photomicrograph, stage
