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Chiton, Butterfly

Cryptoconchus porosus

Papatua Pūrerehua

Invertebrate

Mollusca

Polyplacophora

Acanthochitonidae

Rocky Reef Subtidal
Rocky Reef Subtidal
Rocky Shore Intertidal
Rocky Shore Intertidal

Feeding:
Grazer Feeder
Grazer Feeder
Distribution:
New Zealand
New Zealand
Edibility:
Inedible
Inedible
Size:
Coin Sized
Coin Sized



The Butterfly Chiton is characterised by the visible absence of shell plates that are almost completely covered by its fleshy nodular girdle. It reaches sizes of 7 cm long and can be brown to bright orange. When the animal dies the girdle rots away and the shell valves detach. They often wash ashore singly; they resemble a butterfly in shape and are often sky blue on the underside. Their shell is make up of eight interlocking plates surrounded around the edge by a tough girdle. Chitons have many gills and no eyes. Young chitons have only 7 shells, the eigth develops later completing their coat of armour.


Found regularly in the outer exposed rocky bays of the Otago Coastline. These chitons are found under rocks or ledges where there is a lot of water movement especially on boulders or open rock surfaces among seaweeds in the low intertidal and shallow subtidal, they are often associated with sponges in deeper water.


Grazer.


The great adaption of the chiton is their flexibilty.




Between the Tides : Bradstock