Glaphurochiton carbonarius (Stevens, 1858)

Chiton (head valve)

Chitons have 8 valves
head valve, 6 intermediate valves, and tail valve

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Glaphurochiton carbonarius (Stevens, 1858)

Intermediate valve
Tail valve

Special thanks to Stephaney Puchalski for the identification.
Associate Instructor with the Dept of Geological Sciences
Indiana University - Bloomington, IN

General abundance:  Rare
Site wide, chiton valves are Rare.  However, they are Common
in a localized 40 foot clayey shell hash limestone section.

Description #1

Rounded upper surface, flattened lower surface.
Upper: Eight calcareous valves fit into one another, girdle
surrounds the calcareous plates. Lower: Oval muscular
foot. Mantle cavity is in between.

The little "dots" on the shell are thought to be
light sensitive. They are called "Shell Eyes."

Description #2

The body of a chiton is covered by a shell that consists
of a series of eight symmetrical, overlapping plates. A
chiton can roll itself up into a ball, exposing only the
hard shell, when it feels threatened. It moves using an
oval, footlike appendage. The chiton also uses the foot
to cling to rocks. Chitons feed upon seaweed and algae.

Reference:

Suborder: Lepidopleurina
Familiy: Leptochitonidae
Subfamily: Helminthochitoninae
American Journal of Science (2)25(74):264

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Phylum Mollusca
chitons cephalopods clams gastropods rostroconchs

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