Tags: Crustacean.
Sacculina is a genus of barnacles that is a parasitic castrator of crabs. The adults bear no resemblance to the barnacles that cover ships and piers; they are recognised as barnacles because their larval forms are like other members of the barnacle class Cirripedia. Depending on the location the prevalence of this unusual crustacean parasite in its crab host can be as high as 50%.
