Chiton olivaceus
Dorsal view of Chiton olivaceus from Sicily. Museum specimen
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Polyplacophora
Order: Chitonida
Family: Chitonidae
Genus: Chiton
Species:
C. olivaceus
Binomial name
Chiton olivaceus
Spengler, 1797
Synonyms
  • Chiton (Rhyssoplax) olivaceus Spengler, 1797
  • Chiton estuarii Brusina, 1870
  • Chiton polii Deshayes, 1835
  • Chiton rubellus Nardo, 1847
  • Chiton siculus Gray J.E., 1828
  • Chiton squammulosus Dollfus, 1883
  • Chiton striatus Brusina, 1870
  • Lepidopleurus sulcatus Risso, 1826

Chiton olivaceus, the green chiton, is a species of chiton, a marine polyplacophoran mollusk in the family Chitonidae, the typical chitons.[1][2]

Description

Chiton olivaceus can reach a length of 32–40 millimetres (1.3–1.6 in) and a width of about 16 millimetres (0.63 in). These large chitons have carinate plates with strongs ribs. The shell is oblong and oval. In the front and rear plates ribs have a radial pattern. The intermediate valves show a sharp beak and rounded sutural plates. Colors are very variable, ranging from olive-gray (hence the common name) to yellow-brown, sometimes black, orange, red or yellow. The girdle surrounding all of the valves is quite large and covered by bristles and scales.[3][4][5]

The teeth of these grazers of algae [6] are composed of magnetite, the hardest material usable by a living being.

Distribution

This species is common in the Mediterranean sea around Italy and Greece, but can also to be found in the nearby Atlantic Ocean.[7]

Habitat

Chiton olivaceus occur on a solid substrate, particularly stones and rocks, in the zones of sweeping of the waves, at a low depth.[3]

References

  1. ↑ URMO: UNESCO-IOC Register of Marine Organisms. Land J. van der (ed)
  2. ↑ WoRMS
  3. 1 2 Mondo Marino Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ↑ "Area Marina di Portofino". Archived from the original on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2015-09-03.
  5. ↑ Wildlife Archipelago
  6. ↑ D. I. MacKinnon,Daphne E. Lee,J. D. Campbell Brachiopods Through Time
  7. ↑ SeaLifeBase


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