Epibionts

Guides

• Lepadiformes

  stalked barnacles, goose barnacles

  Lepadiformes is an order of stalked barnacles within the class Maxillopoda. Members possess a fleshy peduncle that attaches the capitulum (shell) to substrates, distinguishing them from sessile acorn barnacles. The order includes approximately nine extant families, with Lepadidae being the most species-rich. Many species are epibiotic, attaching to mobile marine hosts including crustaceans, elasmobranchs, and marine debris.

  crustaceamaxillopodathecostracabarnaclesstalked-barnaclesepibiontsmarinefilter-feederspelagiccommensalism