About Capitulum mitella (Linnaeus, 1758)
Capitulum mitella has a short leathery stalk, called a peduncle, that supports an upper region called a capitulum. The entire organism reaches a maximum length of 5 cm (2 in). The peduncle is muscular and contractile, with a surface covered in fine scales. The capitulum is protected by eight large overlapping sheathing scales, and a ring of around twenty tiny scales surrounds the joint between the capitulum and the peduncle. Inside these scales is a cavity that holds the animal's head, thorax, and appendages.
This species occurs in the South China Sea and the East China Sea. It attaches to rocks in the lower intertidal zone of areas with strong currents. It typically grows crowded alongside other individuals, in cracks and grooves on otherwise smooth rocky surfaces. The barnacle Tetraclita squamosa is often found in the same locations and grows alongside it, and the primitive barnacle Ibla cumingi may grow between or on the larger capitulum plates of C. mitella.
Capitulum mitella is one of roughly a dozen commercially gathered species of goose barnacle that is eaten by humans. In Japan, Taiwan, Korea, and China, this species is considered a luxury food item.
