| Austromegabalanus psittacus | |
|---|---|
| Two picorocos and two Chilean sea urchins | |
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Arthropoda |
| Subphylum: | Crustacea |
| Class: | Maxillopoda |
| Infraclass: | Cirripedia |
| Order: | Sessilia |
| Family: | Balanidae |
| Genus: | Austromegabalanus |
| Species: | A. psittacus |
| Binomial name | |
| Austromegabalanus psittacus Molina, 1782 |
|
Austromegabalanus psittacus, or picoroco as it is known in Spanish, is a species of giant barnacle native to the coasts of Chile and southern Peru.[1] It inhabits the litoral and intertidal zones of rocky shores and normally grows up to 30 centimetres (12 in) tall with a mineralized shell composed of calcite.[2] The picoroco barnacle is used in Chilean cuisine and is one of the ingredients in curanto.