Editing Barnacle (section)

=== Predators and parasites ===

Among the most common [[Predation|predator]]s of barnacles are [[whelk]]s. They are able to grind through the calcareous exoskeleton and eat the animal inside. Barnacle larvae are consumed by filter-feeding [[Benthic zone|benthic]] predators including the [[mussel]] ''Mytilus edulis'' and the [[Ascidiacea|ascidian]] ''Styela gibbsi''.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Cowden |first1=Cynthia |last2=Young |first2=Craig M. |last3=Chia |first3=F. S. |title=Vol. 14: 145-149. 1984 MARINE ECOLOGY - PROGRESS SERIES Mar. Ecol. h o g . Ser. 1 h b l i s h e d January 2 Differential predation on marine invertebrate larvae by two benthic predators |journal=Marine Ecology - Progress Series |date=1984 |volume=14 |pages=145–149 |doi=10.3354/meps014145 |url=https://www.int-res.com/articles/meps/14/m014p145.pdf}}</ref> Another predator is the starfish species ''[[Pisaster ochraceus]]''.<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Harley |first1=C. D. G. |last2=Pankey |first2=M. S. |last3=Wares |first3=J. P. |last4=Grosberg |first4=R. K. |last5=Wonham |first5=M. J. |s2cid=18549566 |title=Color Polymorphism and Genetic Structure in the Sea Star |journal=[[The Biological Bulletin]] |date=December 2006 |volume=211 |issue=3 |pages=248–262 |doi=10.2307/4134547 |pmid=17179384 |jstor=4134547 }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Holmes |first=Jan |title=Seashore players most successful when they're in their zone  |url=http://www.beachwatchers.wsu.edu/island/essays/zonation.htm |year=2002 |work=WSU Beach Watchers |access-date=March 6, 2010 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100621224920/http://beachwatchers.wsu.edu/island/essays/zonation.htm |archive-date=2010-06-21 }}</ref> A stalked barnacle in the Iblomorpha, ''Chaetolepas calcitergum'', lacks a heavily mineralised shell, but contains a high concentration of toxic [[bromine]]; this may serve to deter predators.<ref>{{cite news |last=Walker |first=Matt |title=Barnacles become toxic to repel hungry predators |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/earth/hi/earth_news/newsid_8426000/8426208.stm |website=[[BBC]] Earth News |date=22 December 2009 |access-date=18 February 2024}}</ref> The [[turbellaria]]n flatworm ''[[Stylochus]]'', a serious predator of [[oyster spat]], has been found in barnacles.<ref name="Arvy Nigrelli 1969"/> Parasites of barnacles include many species of [[Gregarinasina]] ([[alveolate]] protozoa), a few fungi, a few species of [[Trematoda|trematodes]], and a parasitic castrator [[Isopoda|isopod]], ''[[Hemioniscus balani]]''.<ref name="Arvy Nigrelli 1969">{{cite journal |last1=Arvy |first1=Lucie |last2=Nigrelli |first2=Ross F. |title=Studies on the biology of barnacles: parasites of Balanus eburneus and B. balanoides from New York Harbor and a review of the parasites and diseases of other Cirripedia |journal=[[Zoologica]] |date=1969 |volume=54 |issue=3 |pages=95–102 |url=https://www.biodiversitylibrary.org/page/50998597#page/13/mode/1up}}</ref>