REPLICATION OF SUBSTRATE DETAIL BY BARNACLES AND SOME OTHER MARINE ORGANISMS

1. Barnacles of the species Balanus eburneus Gould were found to orient themselves with their long axes parallel to the grooves in the substrate, while oysters (Ostrea virginica Gmel.) were found to orient themselves at random.2. The grooving in the substrate was found to affect the topography of the compartments and the basal plate of the barnacle Balanus eburneus Gould. The grooves are duplicated upon the compartments and the ridges upon the basal plate. Any one groove on the record causes a ridge to occur on the basal plate and a groove to appear on the compartments of the barnacle. These grooves and ridges are initiated at the early growth stages and persist irrespective of the ultimate size of the organism.3. In a similar manner the grooved surface of the phonograph records affects the shells of the mollusc Ostrea virginica Gmel. both externally and internally by causing grooves and ridges to appear on the upper and lower shells.4. The living species of barnacles, Balanus rostratus apertus Pilsbry, B...