Interesting Science Tidbit

You’re familiar with barnacles, right? Those things that live in shells that you always see on the bottom of boats and on rocks in water? I was just reading an article about them and learned that a barnacle has – relative to size – the longest penis in the animal kingdom and that it, the penis, not the barnacle, can stretch to eight times it’s body length. Even more interesting is that they can also change the size and shape of their ‘business’ depending on where they live. For example a barnacle living in calm waters will have a long thin penis while a barnacle living in rough water will have one that’s shorter and bulkier.

Please don’t think that I google animal’s genitalia for information like this!  (No, I don’t and I haven’t done that for a long time.*) I just like animals and I like science and sometimes you happen across an article talking about how barnacles reproduce that includes information on the little things like the thing’s pride and joy. And when you have a blog, you sometimes feel like you need to share that information with anyone who happens along.

* A joke!