-1.5 million species.  Houston Being one of the larger ports in the world has most of the 1.5 million species

-barnacles although they contain both sex organs, polarize & assume one sex for life, meaning they fertilize by contact with a neighbor ergo their fertilization organ can be ten times the length of their body.

-colonize- They emit an attractant that lures larva to attach nearby **BARNACLES BEGET MORE BARNACLES

- they live in all latitudes and all depths ergo not seasonal

- Factor that influence their activity & growth

1.) Salinity the more salt they have the faster they grow

2.) Food - which in ‘Clearlake they have no shortage”

3.) Temperature although its true they grow faster in warmer water their range for most species and particular our native acorn barnacle is 58 - 85* degrees.

  *Their growth cycle is actually at a low point in late summer because the   temperature speeds up their metabolic rate so much so that they begin to loose body mass, they have difficulty getting enough oxygen, and so decrease in size from nearly exercising to death. and their for to conserve energy actually quit spawning.

-can add 40 tons of weight to a supertanker creating an unresponsive vessel

-can increase drag by 60%

-can clog thru hulls by clogging whatever appliance needs that water

-barnacles can acclimate to copper if they find a weak spot as they grow their tolerance for larger amounts of copper increases.

- they are crustaceans, six legged………. first antennae is used to attach to hull , then it glues its head in place and is stuck for ever

- glues can penetrate damaged wood/ glass hulls

-Over a billion dollars a year is spent in America to fight the barnacle war, However Dive Works occupies a very small percentage of that number.

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