Barnacle (Franchise)

Barnacles are crustaceans seen minimally in the How to Train Your Dragon Franchise.

Description
Barnacles are crustaceans most known by their adult stage. The adult stage consists of a relatively simple organism attached to a substrate and surrounded by a usually ovoid shell with an opening in the center through which the creature feeds. Once the adult stage cements itself to a substrate, it cannot move. The larval stages of the barnacle are free-swimming, however. Things barnacles adhere to can include rocks and almost any human structure, including boats. They will even adhere to other organisms such as whales and other creatures with shells such as Crabs. Barnacles are filter feeders and have "cirri" to do so, which are actually modified limbs.

Function
In the Franchise, barnacles have no purpose other than as part of highly detailed background scenery, notably in the first movie.

In actuality, barnacles can be eaten by humans like any other crustacean, particularly the Goose Barnacle.

Because barnacles adhere to any firm surface including human-made structures, they are often considered nuisance organisms and can deteriorate the structure. Ships need to be regularly scraped free of barnacles to maintain speed and prevent corrosion.