EVERYDAY SCIENCE

Detailed explanation-1: -Most species of barnacles are filter feeders, using their highly modified legs to sift plankton from the water.

Detailed explanation-2: -Barnacles (balanus glandula) are sticky little crustaceans related to crabs, lobsters, and shrimps. Those aren’t dragon claws-they’re gooseneck barnacles! These filter feeders are found in the rocky tide pools of Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary.

Detailed explanation-3: -Barnacles are not particularly selective filter feeders and are considered scavengers because they feed on dead matter as well. A barnacle using its cirri to feed. Deposit feeders usually feed by consuming sediment and digesting the organic material from the surfaces of the sediment.

Detailed explanation-4: -Barnacles (Balanus glandula, Chthamalus dalli, Semibalanus cariosus) are by far the most abundant organism on the rocky surfaces. They suspension feed by waving long, branched legs (called cirri) into the water column to capture food particles, especially small single-celled algae (phytoplankton).