-
Plate 1.Chiton species photographed in situ; 1. Acanthopleura echinata, Playa Mansa; 2. Callistochiton pulchellus, Playa El Pulpo; 3. Calloplax vivipara, Peninsula Calderilla; 4. Chaetopleura peruviana, Sur Playa Ramada; 5. Chiton cumingsii, Playa El Pulpo; 6. Chiton granosus, Playa Mansa. Scale bars are: 2 cm for 1, 2, 3 and 1 cm for 4, 5, 6.
-
Plate 1.Chiton species photographed in situ; 1. Acanthopleura echinata, Playa Mansa; 2. Callistochiton pulchellus, Playa El Pulpo; 3. Calloplax vivipara, Peninsula Calderilla; 4. Chaetopleura peruviana, Sur Playa Ramada; 5. Chiton cumingsii, Playa El Pulpo; 6. Chiton granosus, Playa Mansa. Scale bars are: 2 cm for 1, 2, 3 and 1 cm for 4, 5, 6.
-
Plate 1.Chiton species photographed in situ; 1. Acanthopleura echinata, Playa Mansa; 2. Callistochiton pulchellus, Playa El Pulpo; 3. Calloplax vivipara, Peninsula Calderilla; 4. Chaetopleura peruviana, Sur Playa Ramada; 5. Chiton cumingsii, Playa El Pulpo; 6. Chiton granosus, Playa Mansa. Scale bars are: 2 cm for 1, 2, 3 and 1 cm for 4, 5, 6.
-
The underside of this species is composed of a flat foot with a row of gills along each side (gills not visible in this photo). The edges of the mantle form a wide belt around the foot. Photographed by Dave Cowles at San Simeon, CA 1995
-
Another photo of the underside. Photo by Dave Cowles, San Simeon, CA April 1997 This species was formerly abundant at San Simeon, CA. During the latter years of the 1990's I (Dave Cowles) observed large numbers decomposing and washing up onto the beach. I suspect a disease was affecting them. Those washing ashore were blotched, as some living individuals are. I wonder if the blotching seen in living individuals is a sign of disease? Far fewer can be found there now.
-
Cryptochiton stelleri San Simeon, CA (Photo by: Dave Cowles, 1995)
-
This individual was on the rocky head on the south side of Bowman Bay. Photo by Dave Cowles, July 2008
-
This 10 cm individual was between several boulders on Sares Head, April 2011. Photo by Dave Cowles
-
This venerable old chiton, just over 8 cm long, was also found at Sares Head. The head is to the right. The plates are so worn that the pattern can hardly be seen. The mantle color is unusual for this species but the mantle hairs are stiff and strap-like and both the Kozloff key and Aaron Baldwin's key identify it as Mopalia muscosa. The mantle and plates of this individual are also a whole city of symbionts, from several species of polychaete worms, small copepods, a tiny limpet (visible above at the top of plate 2), unidentified stalked invertebrates, and even a chironomid (midge fly) larva! I know that insects are rarely found in the ocean but the midge larva was clearly at home--crawling among other invertebrates and across the plates, nestling down in the edge of the mantle at the margin of the plates, etc., even though the chiton was fully immersed in seawater.
-
This closeup of the mantle of the individual above shows the strange yellowish background color of the mantle combined with the familiar thick, strap-like hairs characteristic of this species. The limpet is visible on the edge of the algae-encrusted plate at the bottom right, and a mucus tube of a polychaete worm is visible at the margin between the plate and the mantle. A few strands of red algae intertwine among the mantle hairs.
-
Here is a view of the underside of the above individual. The mouth is clearly visible on the left. The large central region is the foot, which has several strands of mucus on it. The ring around the foot is the mantle cavity, which contains the gills. The outer ring of tissue is the underside of the mantle (girdle), which is held down fairly tightly against the substrate.
-
Mopalia muscosa under a rock at San Simeon, CA. Length is about 3 cm. Head and plate 1 are to the left. (Photo by: Dave Cowles, 1995)
-
Dendrochiton flectens, underwater photo (Photo and identification by: Aaron Baldwin)
-
This larger view shows how the chiton is grazing the sponge off the scallop.
-
This closeup shows the detail on the plates, plus a view of some of the girdle.
-
The anterior two plates of this individual have a lot of white.
-
This closeup of some of the sparse girdle hairs, along the lateral margin of the girdle, shows how the larger hairs branch from the base. The orange/pink background is the sponge and scallop that the chiton is crawling on. Other than on these lateral areas and in some areas along the edges of the plates the girdle hairs are quite sparse.
-
This closeup is of some girdle hairs which are not right at the margin of the girdle.
-
The underside of the girdle of this species is not orange.
-
Mopalia hindsii feeding on the sponge Myxilla incrustans which is growing on the shell of the scallop Chlamys hastata. (Photo by: Dave Cowles, July 2007)
-
Mopalia ciliata, about 3 cm long, under a rock overhang at Cape Flattery (Photo by: Dave Cowles, July 2010 )
-
The pale-colored veil is clearly visible in this photo taken in a cave at Cape Flattery. Dave Cowles July 2004
-
(Placiphorella velata, about 3 cm long, in cave at Cape Flattery. Anterior veil is to the left) (Photo by: Dave Cowles July 2004)
-
This closeup of the mantle shows the scattered, oval scales on the dorsal surface, and the spicules which are visible along the mantle margin.