Barnacle

Acrothoracica
Thoracica
Rhizocephala

A barnacle is a type of arthropod belonging to infraclass Cirripedia in the subphylum Crustacea and is hence distantly related to crabs and lobsters. Some authorities regard Cirripedia as a full class or subclass, and the orders listed at right are sometimes treated as superorders. Around 1,220 barnacle species are currently known. The name "Cirripedia" , means "curl-footed" in Latin. Barnacle derives from Middle English "bernak" recorded in the 16th century . The French "bernicle" comes from the breton word "brennig" .

Barnacles were first fully studied and classified by Charles Darwin who published a series of monographs in 1851 and 1854. Darwin undertook this study at the suggestion of his friend Joseph Dalton Hooker, in his quest to further his ongoing development of the theory of evolution by natural selectioncitation needed].