barnacle: Economic Significance

Barnacles are economically significant because they settle on ship hulls and harbor installations; the resulting encrustation of the ships greatly increases friction, diminishing speed and increasing fuel consumption. Ships are treated with plastic coating or with antifouling paints containing copper or mercury to prevent or diminish encrustation.

Sections in this article:

• Introduction
• Classification
• Economic Significance
• Reproduction
• Shelled and Shell-less Barnacles

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