giant chiton | |
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Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Mollusca |
Class: | Polyplacophora |
Subclass: | Neoloricata |
Order: | Chitonida |
Superfamily: | Chitonoidea |
Family: | Chaetopleuridae |
Genus: | Dinoplax |
Species: | D. gigas |
Binomial name | |
Dinoplax gigas (Gmelin, 1791) |
The giant chiton, Dinoplax gigas, is a species of chiton in the family Chaetopleuridae.[1] It is a marine mollusc.
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This species is found around the South African coast from the Cape Peninsula to Durban, subtidally to at least 5m.[2]
The giant chiton is large, growing up to 120 mm in total length, and has strongly arched grey or brown valves. The girdle is brown, spotted with black and has tufts of short hairs.[3]
This species hides under rocks during the day but emerges at night.