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Did you know that barnacles are more closely related to crabs than snails? These “encrusting” organisms actually cement themselves to mangrove prop roots, submerged branches and other substrates. Although they are known to “foul” pilings and boat bottoms, they actually clean the water surrounding them by using their feathery mouthparts to strain out food items including plankton and microscopic plant matter. You can see barnacles doing their thing (filter-feeding) on a TV monitor in the research window at the Environmental Learning Center.