Sessile Barnacles
Order Sessilia
The Sessile Barnacles (Order Sessilia) includes 4 species across 3 families and 4 genera in our directory.
About Sessile Barnacles
Sessilia (acorn barnacles) includes ~500 described species. Barnacles were famously studied by Charles Darwin for 8 years (1846-1854), producing a definitive 4-volume monograph.
Economic Impact
Marine biofouling by barnacles costs the global shipping industry an estimated $150 billion annually in increased fuel consumption, hull maintenance, and dry-docking. Barnacle cement is the strongest natural adhesive known - it is being studied for medical and industrial applications.
Ecological Role
Barnacles are filter feeders that provide habitat for other organisms on rocky shores. They are key intertidal species and indicators of sea level changes in paleoclimate research.
