Cirripedia
Guides
Conchoderma
goose barnacles
Conchoderma is a genus of pedunculate barnacles (goose barnacles) in the family Lepadidae. Species in this genus are obligate epibionts, attaching to mobile marine hosts including whales, fish, sea snakes, and crustaceans. They possess a flexible stalk (peduncle) that anchors them to their host and a capitulum with calcareous plates enclosing the body. The genus includes notable species such as C. auritum, which associates with whales, and C. virgatum, which has been documented on diverse hosts including fish and copepods.
Coronulidae
Whale Barnacles
Coronulidae is a family of barnacles (Cirripedia) commonly known as whale barnacles, though their host associations extend beyond cetaceans to include sea turtles and crocodilians. Members are obligate epizoic species that attach to mobile marine hosts during their free-swimming larval stage. The family includes the genus Chelonibia, which exhibits exclusively passive feeding behavior—a unique trait among barnacles where the species relies entirely on host-generated water currents rather than facultatively switching between active and passive feeding modes.
Lepadidae
Goose Barnacles
A family of pedunculate (stalked) barnacles established by Charles Darwin in 1852, commonly known as goose barnacles. Comprises approximately five genera and over 20 described species. Members are exclusively marine, with worldwide distribution in warm temperate and tropical seas. The family includes the well-known genus Lepas (goose barnacles) and Conchoderma (whale barnacles).