Aerilamma murdochi

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Aerilamma murdochi
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Polyplacophora
Order: Neoloricata
Suborder: Acanthochitonina
Family: Mopaliidae
Genus: Aerilamma
Species: A. murdochi
Binomial name
Aerilamma murdochi
(Reeve, 1847)
Synonyms

Plaxiphora murdochi Suter, 1905

Aerilamma murdochi is an uncommon species of chiton in the family Mopaliidae.

Contents

[edit] Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand.

[edit] Habitat

This uncommon chiton is found under smooth stones at low water on open coasts.

[edit] Description

The shells is small, broadly ovate and depressed, with subobsolete radial ribbing, and a dense surface pattern of fine wrinkles that are more or less vertical over the central area, but are radially arcuate on the lateral areas. The girdle is thick but narrow, with sutural pores, and dense, minute, triangular scales, but no hair-like processes.

Coloration of the valves is dark green, with longitudinal, irregular darker lines or stripes. Occasionally one or more of the valves are white, or with white patches.

Length is up to 20 mm, and the width is up to 13 mm.

[edit] References