Barnacles are known to be immobile, clingy crustaceans usually seen on rocky shores and hulls of boats as well as on other creatures such as manatees, crabs, and sea turtles. Now, studies suggest that at least one species, Chelonibia testudinaria, can actually slide across surfaces.
The C. testudinaria barnacles are found to secrete incremental amounts of cement to “surf” to a different position. This “surfing” is a way for barnacles to find more food that is usually found in areas of high water flow. Hence, they “surf” from areas of lower water flow to areas of higher water flow.
Previously thought to be immobile, these barnacles are found to move very slowly. Findings show that they move at an average of about seven millimeters over three months with one barnacle reaching up to eight centimeters over one year.
Image: Benny K.K. Chan/Academia Sinica, Taiwan