On the 26th day of #Crustmas my true love gave to me the rhizocephalan Sacculina carcini Thompson, 1836. Which frankly, caused me to doubt the trueness of her love . . . You see S. carcini, and its rhizocephalan brethren are parasitic castrators of crabs. Not being content with being merely epizoans like other barnacles, they have evolved something far more sinister. #arthropoda #crustacea #cirripedia #invertfest
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On the 22nd day of #Crustmas my true love gave to me the whale barnacle, Coronula diadema (Linnaeus, 1767). These little crustaceans are considered parasites on whales. Normal, everyday barnacles live their lives attached to a rock or shell on the sea bottom. Not so for C. diadema. . .
#arthropoda #crustacea #cirripedia #cetacea #parasite
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