Welcome to our page about the wonderful
barnacle Chthamalus fragilis, "The Little Gray
Barnacle". In this webpage, you will be able to explore all of
the different aspects of this great organism ranging from its
classification to interactions and reproduction.
Chthamalus fragilis belongs to the phylum arthropoda of the kingdom animalia. It is commonly mistaken for a mollusk due to its hard outer shell, but C. fragilis is actually an arthropod and its closest relatives are lobsters and shrimp.
The Little Gray Barnacle can be found up and down the U.S. Atlantic Coast, near the shores of the Gulf of Mexico, and on the Cape Verde Islands off Africa. Chthamalus fragilis has outcompeted its competitors in terms of dessication prevention, so it is usually found in the upper intertidal zone attached to hard surfaces such as rocks, walls, and pilings.
Classification | Habitat | Adaptation | Nutrition | Reproduction | Interactions | Facts |