Giant chiton

giant chiton
Giant chiton Dinoplax gigas at Windmill Beach, Simon's Town, in False Bay
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Polyplacophora
Subclass: Neoloricata
Order: Chitonida
Superfamily: Chitonoidea
Family: Chaetopleuridae
Genus: Dinoplax
Species: D. gigas
Binomial name
Dinoplax gigas
(Gmelin, 1791)

The giant chiton, Dinoplax gigas, is a species of chiton in the family Chaetopleuridae.[1] It is a marine mollusc.

Dorsal view of Dinoplax gigas. Museum specimen

Description

Dinoplax gigas normally reach a length of about 110 millimetres (4.3 in), but exceptionally may grow up to 170 millimetres (6.7 in). These large chitons are elongate, oval, carinate and moderately elevated. They have strongly arched grey or brown valves. The leathery girdle is greyish or brown, spotted with black and has tufts of short hairs.[2][3]

Ecology

This species hides under rocks during the day but emerges at night.

Distribution

This species is found around the South African coast from the Cape Peninsula to Durban, subtidally to at least 5 m.[4][5]

References

  1. ↑ http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php search term Dinoplax accessed 7 April 2010
  2. ↑ Kilburn, R. and Rippey, E. Sea Shells of Southern Africa MacMillan South Africa 1982 ISBN 0-86954-094-7
  3. ↑ Piet Kaas, R. A. Van Belle Monograph of Living Chitons
  4. ↑ Branch, G. M., Branch, M. L, Griffiths, C. L. and Beckley, L. E. (2005): Two Oceans: a guide to the marine life of southern Africa ISBN 0-86486-672-0
  5. ↑ Catalogue of life
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