Tags: Crustacean.
Austromegabalanus psittacus the giant barnacle or picoroco as it is known in Spanish is a species of large barnacle native to the coasts of Chile and southern Peru. It inhabits the littoral and intertidal zones of rocky shores and normally grows up to 30 centimetres (12 in) tall with a mineralized shell composed of calcite. The picoroco barnacle is used in Chilean cuisine and is one of the ingredients in curanto.
