Sacculina
| Sacculina | |
|---|---|
| Sacculina carcini on a male swimming crab | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Class: | Thecostraca |
| Subclass: | Cirripedia |
| Infraclass: | Rhizocephala |
| Family: | Sacculinidae |
| Genus: | Sacculina Thompson, 1836 |
| Type species | |
| Sacculina carcini Thompson, 1836 | |
Sacculina is a genus of barnacles that is a parasitic castrator of crabs. They belong to a group called Rhizocephala. The adults bear no resemblance to the barnacles that cover ships, whales, and piers; they are recognised as barnacles because their larval forms are like other members of the barnacle class Cirripedia. The prevalence of this crustacean parasite in its crab host can be as high as 50%.