Surprising and unexpected finding (Portugal)

YRE Competition 2016
11-14 years old

April 8, on the day of Coastwatch activity in the Old Beach, near San Pedro de Moel, in the municipality of Marinha Grande, a group of students was faced with a huge “family“ of barnacles attached a small plastic buoy. The fishing gear, amazingly decorated, was the target of some pictures and great curiosity by the participant group, as this crustacean was unknown. to most of his colleagues and leed us to the investigation about these animals.
This crustacean (Pollicipes) differ from the common one, the bluish white color of the five calcareous plates separated by a black coat and the peduncle that appears thinner compared to the common barnacles . This is a crustacean hermaphrodite present in all oceans traveling to the taste of the sea currents and having plastic waste as “boat”…

Made by student from Portugal.