c1017.txt

Barnacles often attach themselves to Blue Crabs, especially in southern regions. The Striped Barnacle (Balanus amphitrite) and Turtle Barnacle (Chelonibia testudinaria) are found externally; a small goose barnacle, Octolasmus lowei, occurs in the Blue Crab's gill chamber, and the bean-shaped sacculinid barnacle Loxothylacus texanus attaches itself under the abdomen. A parasitic nemertean worm, Carcinonemertes carcinophila, is found on the gills of female crabs; on virgin crabs, it is pinkish, while on breeders it is red. (Gosner 1978)