Variable Chiton
Ischnochiton maorianus
Description 3
A medium sized, 30 to 45mm long chiton which looks proportionately narrower than other chitons (more sausage than oval in outline). Has pale grey/brown coloured plates and evenly coloured narrow skirt/girdle of small scales, some descriptions mention tufts of bristles. Colour variations including longitudinal stripes of dark green, brown or black or dark with light coloured triangles along the crest. The central ridge often light lilac coloured. The rear plate is much larger than the front plate
Distribution 3
Found from intertidal to shallow sub-tidal depths. North Island, South Island, Stewart Island, Chatham Islands.
References 3
New Zealand Mollusca, Marine Land and Freshwater Shells, A W B Powell, 1979
Sources and Credits
- Tony Wills, no known copyright restrictions (public domain), uploaded by Tony Wills
- (c) Tony Wills, some rights reserved (CC BY-NC), uploaded by Tony Wills
- (c) Tony Wills, some rights reserved (CC BY-SA)
More Info
iNat Map
| Depth | intertidal |
|---|---|
| Places | Chatham Islands, North Island, South Island, Stewart Island |
