Book 6, Question 50
Why Do Barnacles Stick So Hard?
A barnacle is a crustacean, so it is a cousin of crabs. A baby barnacle swims until it finds a spot. Then it cements its head to a rock, a boat, or even a whale!
From the book
Page from A Million Whys Book 6
More fun facts
- Barnacles are tiny crustaceans, more closely related to crabs and lobsters than to clams or snails.
- Barnacles live wherever hard surfaces meet seawater, from boats and docks to the heads of whales.
- Barnacles build hard calcium plates that completely surround their bodies.
- Gooseneck barnacles grow in clumps on rocks along the coast of Oregon.
- Scientists in Ireland ask beachgoers to report clumps of barnacles that wash ashore so they can study them.
Sources: National Park Service, National Geographic, NOAA Ocean Service, National Geographic, Scientific American
Questions kids ask
Are barnacles related to clams?
No. Barnacles are crustaceans, closer relatives of crabs and lobsters.