How do BARNACLES affect SEA TURTLES 🐢 What do Barnacles do to Turtles?

At first glance, the Percebes seem harmless passengers stuck to the body of a sea turtle. But their presence can completely change the life of these reptiles. A handful of Percebes could make the difference between a healthy turtle and another on the brink of collapse. Today we will explore this unexpected relationship, full of nuances and mysteries that few people know. Are the Percebes silent allies, implacable invaders, or both at the same time? Sea turtles are, without a doubt, one of the oldest symbols of life in the oceans. They have existed for more than 110 million years, surviving massive extinctions and climate changes that erased giants from the earth. Today they swim in tropical and temperate waters around the world. They are not just an ornament for the planet. They maintain the health of coral reefs by controlling sponges that compete with corals. They promote the growth of marine pastures by feeding on them and trimming them, just like a natural gardener. They feed on sharks, orcas, marine crocodiles and other large predators, maintaining the balance of the food chains. The Percebes are added to this challenging scenario. They are small, but with an impact that we do not always understand. The Percebes are crustaceans of the subspecies Cirripedia, capable of adhering to almost any surface, rocks, springs, boats and also sea turtles. When the Percebes are in their larval phase, they float like plankton, but as soon as they find a solid surface, they secrete a natural glue, one of the most resistant biological glues known, which allows them to fix permanently. In some cases, this relationship can be considered commensalism. The Percebes obtain transport and food by filtering the water, while the turtle does not experience significant damage. But when the load is excessive, the situation changes drastically. How do Percebes affect marine turtles? They affect their displacement. The excessive accumulation of Percebes adds additional weight and hydrodynamic resistance. Studies by the National Marine Fisheries Service indicate that turtles strongly invaded by Percebes consume more energy when swimming, reducing their speed to up to 27%. A slow turtle is a vulnerable turtle. They make them more prone to predators. The decrease in speed reduces the ability to evade sharks or large predatory fish. In addition, a weakened turtle takes longer to reach the surface to breathe, increasing its risk of exhaustion. They damage their skin and shell. The glue that the Percebes secrete is so powerful that, when fixed, they can erode the surface layer of the shell. In soft areas such as the neck or fins, this fixation causes open wounds and ulcerations. These wounds can serve as a gateway to bacterial and parasitic infections. They can facilitate the invasion of marine worms. When there is damage to the surface of the shell, perforating polychetes and marine worms enter the tunnels in the shell, structurally weakening it. This, over time, reduces its protective capacity against impacts and predators. They make it difficult to exchange heat. An excess of Percebes can create an insulating layer that alters the exchange of temperature with water. Turtles need to regulate their body temperature by immersing themselves in colder or warmer layers. If their shell is covered, this process becomes inefficient, causing thermal stress. They can interfere with mating. Observational studies have reported that turtles with massive Percebes incrustations have more difficulty copulating due to weight and imbalance. This could indirectly affect the reproductive success of populations. In any case, we realize that, what seems like a simple aesthetic inconvenience can become a serious health and survival problem. But, are Percebes always negative? Although these impacts are real, the presence of Percebes is not always harmful. In small quantities, they can even provide unexpected benefits, such as camouflage. When mixed with algae and other incrustating organisms, Percebes help the turtle to mimic coral or rocky environments. However, this benefit only occurs when colonization is moderate, when the turtle is covered by dozens or hundreds of Percebes, the negative effects predominate. Why do some turtles have more Percebes than others? The accumulation of Percebes depends on multiple factors. Low mobility. Sick, injured, or trapped in nets lose mobility and become an ideal substrate for Percebes larvae. Their state of health. A weakened turtle has less capacity to de-incrustate or look for areas where Percebes do not thrive. Their habitat. High-concentration areas of planktonic larvae favor massive colonizations. Percebes and marine turtles have been living together for millions of years. This relationship, which sometimes seems healthy, can also become a serious problem. Here are more videos. Do not forget to subscribe and give us a like. See you!