Vorschau

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Abstract

Among the different biofouling species, barnacles resemble a specific threat as they are difficult to remove, able to damage fouling release coatings and increase the drag force of ships. Additionally, barnacles are a good model system for research on permanent underwater adhesion strategies. This study aims to understand and compare the spatial organization and the chemistry of the adhesive secreted by two different species (Balanus amphitrite and Balanus improvisus) of cyprid larvae and juvenile barnacles for settlement. Raman spectromicroscopy and synchrotron based X-ray microprobe fluorescence analysis have been applied for the in-situ and ex-situ investigation of juvenile barnacle cement chemistry. Confocal Raman spectromicroscopy revealed the chemical heterogeneity of the barnacle baseplate and allowed to distinguish three regions of various chemical compositions. The adhesive of cyprids was different from the one of larvae and analyzed in detail from the metamorphosis to the age of fourteen days. The results of these studies provided information on the chemical composition and morphological structure of both barnacle species at different life stages.