Thoracica

Thoracica is a superorder of crustaceans which contains the most familiar species of barnacles found on rocky coasts, such as Semibalanus balanoides and Chthamalus stellatus. They have six well-developed limbs, and may be either stalked or sessile. The carapace is heavily calcified. The group includes free-living and commensal species. This article follows Martin and Davis in placing Thoracica as a superorder of Cirripedia and in the following classification of thoracicans down to the level of families: Superorder Thoracica Darwin, 1854