Once they are released from the parent, larvae of B. eburneus pass through six naupliar stages and one cypris stage (Costlow & Bookhout 1957). The first nauplius is a non-feeding stage, but larvae in the following five developmental stages feed on phytoplankton. The non-feeding cyprid is the final larval stage, subsisting on lipid (fat) reserves accrued through naupliar feeding. The primary goal of this stage is to find suitable habitat on which to settle and metamorphose into a juvenile barnacle, usually after a total planktonic duration of 7-13 days (Costlow & Bookhout 1957). Several cues such as the presence of other B. eburneus, and the texture and biofilm (slime layer) composition of the substrate can influence cyprid settlement (eg. Dineen & Hines 1994, O'Connor & Richardson 1994). Once an appropriate site has been found, cyprids attach to the substrate as they are metamorphosing by secreting an adhesive substance from cement glands at the base of the 1st antennae (Ruppert & Barnes 1994).