Dinoplax gigas
| Dinoplax gigas | |
|---|---|
| |
| Giant chiton Dinoplax gigas at Windmill Beach, Simon's Town, in False Bay | |
Scientific classification 
| |
| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Polyplacophora |
| Order: | Chitonida |
| Family: | Chaetopleuridae |
| Genus: | Dinoplax |
| Species: | D. gigas
|
| Binomial name | |
| Dinoplax gigas (Gmelin, 1791)
| |
Dinoplax gigas, the giant chiton, is a
mollusc
.
Description
Dinoplax gigas normally reach a length of about 110 millimetres (4.3 in), but exceptionally may grow up to 170 millimetres (6.7 in). These large chitons are elongate, oval, carinate and moderately elevated. They have strongly arched grey or brown valves. The leathery girdle is greyish or brown, spotted with black and has tufts of short hairs.[2][3]
Ecology
This species hides under rocks during the day but emerges at night.
Distribution
This species is found around the South African coast from the Cape Peninsula to Durban, subtidally to at least 5 m.[4][5]
References
- ^ http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php search term Dinoplax accessed 7 April 2010
- ISBN 0-86954-094-7
- ^ Piet Kaas, R. A. Van Belle Monograph of Living Chitons
- ISBN 0-86486-672-0
- ^ Catalogue of life
External links
Media related to Dinoplax gigas at Wikimedia Commons