Balanus aquila
Encyclopedia
Balanus aquila is a species
of acorn barnacle in the family Balanidae
. It is found off the California
coast from San Francisco
to San Diego
from the bottom of the intertidal zone
down to depths of 18 m. It is preyed upon
by fish
, sea star
s, and certain carnivorous snail
s. Fish also rub against the barnacles to clean themselves of parasites,which wears the barnacles shells to a smooth surface.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of acorn barnacle in the family Balanidae
Balanidae
Balanidae is a family of barnacles of the order Sessilia.- Genera :* †Alessandriella Carriol, 2001* Amphibalanus Pitombo, 2004* Arossia Newman, 1982* Austromegabalanus Newman, 1979* Balanus Da Costa, 1778* †Concavus Newman, 1982...
. It is found off the California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
coast from San Francisco
San Francisco, California
San Francisco , officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the financial, cultural, and transportation center of the San Francisco Bay Area, a region of 7.15 million people which includes San Jose and Oakland...
to San Diego
San Diego, California
San Diego is the eighth-largest city in the United States and second-largest city in California. The city is located on the coast of the Pacific Ocean in Southern California, immediately adjacent to the Mexican border. The birthplace of California, San Diego is known for its mild year-round...
from the bottom of the intertidal zone
Intertidal zone
The intertidal zone is the area that is above water at low tide and under water at high tide . This area can include many different types of habitats, with many types of animals like starfish, sea urchins, and some species of coral...
down to depths of 18 m. It is preyed upon
Predation
In ecology, predation describes a biological interaction where a predator feeds on its prey . Predators may or may not kill their prey prior to feeding on them, but the act of predation always results in the death of its prey and the eventual absorption of the prey's tissue through consumption...
by fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
, sea star
Sea star
Starfish or sea stars are echinoderms belonging to the class Asteroidea. The names "starfish" and "sea star" essentially refer to members of the class Asteroidea...
s, and certain carnivorous snail
Snail
Snail is a common name applied to most of the members of the molluscan class Gastropoda that have coiled shells in the adult stage. When the word is used in its most general sense, it includes sea snails, land snails and freshwater snails. The word snail without any qualifier is however more often...
s. Fish also rub against the barnacles to clean themselves of parasites,which wears the barnacles shells to a smooth surface.