Barnacles

Barnacles are hardy creatures that permanently attach themselves to hard, rocky surfaces in their marine environment. Found in all oceans, they are particularly common on the rocky shorelines of the northern hemisphere. Barnacles are important to their environment because they are a keystone species that provide habitat for other organisms. Barnacles are also important in the fishing industry—they provide food and shelter for many commercially important species like clams, mussels, and crabs. They also act as filters for plankton and improve water quality. In addition, barnacles are used in biomedical studies to better understand how stem cell operations work.