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Chiton

Photo by KarenP
Published on Project Noah
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33.0346, -117.294

Field Notes

Description:

I found this chilton ( could someone help me ID the species) on the beach at Swami's surfing reef in Encinitas, CA. It looked like the chilton had come off a rock. Even more interesting, the chilton also resembled a small set of dentures with the shell plates as teeth and the pink "gums". Neptune's choppers!

Species ID Suggestions

Comments (5)
KarenP
I updated the spelling. Thanks everyone. It was about an inch and a half long. It makes sense that it was dead. It looked like the gulls had been poking at it.
LauraMaria
I would guess this little chiton is dead, which is why it looks as if its plates are coming off (they detach once they die). I would guess something in the Lepidochitona genus! Nice find! And yes - the common name is chiton as opposed to chilton :)
f4ktu4l
Also i believe you mean chiton :]
KarenP
Any thoughts on the sub-species of this chilton? It seems too far south to be a gumboot chilton? Thanks in advance

Spotted for Missions

Mission
California Coastal Wildlife Watch
Mission
California Tidepools!
Photographed
PublishedJune 9, 2011

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