Goose barnacles
Lepas anserifera
Fun Fact: Legend says they grew on barnacle geese.
Introduction: Goose barnacles (Lepas anserifera) attach themselves to floating objects by means of long, tough fleshy stalk. Their laterally flattened bodies are enclosed by 5 white, bright shell plates. They are around 30mm long and occur in dense colonies on floating objects or on ships. Driftwood is a favoured micro-habitat. The common name is derived from a medieval myth that they grew on barnacle geese.
Distribution: The Skeleton Coast, Swakopmund, Walvis Bay and Luderitz are favoured habitats within the country of Namibia.
Max size: 30mm
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