School of Animal Biology
Barnacle
- Description
- These photos show the same groups of acorn barancles which are hermaphrodites. In the top photo, the barancle on the top right is acting as a female, and the barnacle at the middle left as a male, with its penis inserted into the mantle cavity of the female. The solid white core down the centre of the penis is the sperm being transferred from the "male" to the "female". The barnacle on the lower left has its cirri extended, filtering food from the water. In the lower photo, two barancles are acting as males (upper and middle on the left). The upper male is releasing sperm into the "female's" mantle cavity, while the lower male has completed releasing sperm and is removing his penis. Ahmat, A., Campbell, R., Field, S., Gazey, P., haythornthwaite, S., King, J., Martin, Y., and Moore, G. 1993. Allocation of resources to male and female function in two species of simultaneous hermaphrodites, Balanus amphitrite and Balanus variegatus (Thoracica: Balanidae). Honours Thesis, Department of Zoology, University of Western Australia. Photos by Juliet King
- Image information
- 396x640 at 72 dpi
- Date image taken
- 11 Sep 2008