goose barnacle
Quick Summary
Goose barnacles are marine crustaceans belonging to the superorder Thoracica, which also includes acorn barnacles. They are characterized by their leathery stalk, which attaches them to surfaces like rocks, logs, or ship hulls.12
These barnacles are sessile as adults and filter-feed by extending feathery legs, called cirri, into the water to capture plankton. While typically hermaphroditic, they usually cross-fertilize. Their larval stages, nauplii and cypris, are free-swimming before metamorphosis.3
Historically, a myth in the British Isles suggested that barnacle geese hatched from goose barnacles, leading to them being considered "fish" and permissible to eat on fasting days. In some cultures, goose barnacles are consumed as food, and their adhesive cement has been studied for potential use as a dental adhesive.45
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