Chiton olivaceus, the green chiton, is a species of chiton, a marine polyplacophoran mollusk in the family Chitonidae, the typical chitons.[1][2]

Chiton olivaceus
Dorsal view of Chiton olivaceus from Sicily. Museum specimen
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Polyplacophora
Order: Chitonida
Family: Chitonidae
Genus: Chiton
Species:
C. olivaceus
Binomial name
Chiton olivaceus
Spengler, 1797
Synonyms
  • Chiton (Rhyssoplax) olivaceus Spengler, 1797
  • Chiton estuarii Brusina, 1870
  • Chiton polii Deshayes, 1835
  • Chiton rubellus Nardo, 1847
  • Chiton siculus Gray J.E., 1828
  • Chiton squammulosus Dollfus, 1883
  • Chiton striatus Brusina, 1870
  • Lepidopleurus sulcatus Risso, 1826

Description

edit

Chiton olivaceus can reach a length of 32–40 millimetres (1.3–1.6 in) and a width of about 16 millimetres (0.63 in). These large chitons have carinate plates with strong ribs. The shell is oblong and oval. In the front and rear plates ribs have a radial pattern. The intermediate valves show a sharp beak and rounded sutural plates. Colors are very variable, ranging from olive-gray (hence the common name) to yellow-brown, sometimes black, orange, red or yellow. The girdle surrounding all of the valves is quite large and covered by bristles and scales.[3][4][5]

The teeth of these grazers of algae[6] are composed of magnetite,[citation needed] the hardest material usable by a living being.

Distribution

edit

This species is common in the Mediterranean sea around Italy and Greece, but can also to be found in the nearby Atlantic Ocean.[7]

Habitat

edit

Chiton olivaceus occur on a solid substrate, particularly stones and rocks, in the zones of sweeping of the waves, at a low depth.[3]

References

edit
  1. ^ URMO: UNESCO-IOC Register of Marine Organisms. Land J. van der (ed)
  2. ^ WoRMS
  3. ^ a b Mondo Marino Archived 2016-03-04 at the Wayback Machine
  4. ^ "Area Marina di Portofino". Archived from the original on 2015-09-24. Retrieved 2015-09-03.
  5. ^ Wildlife Archipelago[permanent dead link]
  6. ^ Asgaard, Ulla; Bromley, Richard G. (1991). "Colonization by micromorph brachiopods in the shallow subtidal of the eastern Mediterranean Sea". In MacKinnon, D. I.; Lee, Daphne E.; Campbell, J. D. (eds.). Brachiopods through Time. A.A. Balkema. pp. 261–264. ISBN 90-6191-160-5. Retrieved 11 July 2024 – via Google Books.
  7. ^ SeaLifeBase