CHITON ID AE 325 



Chiton squa?7tosiis Linne Squamose Chiton 



Southeast Florida and the West Indies. 



2 to 3 inches in length. Color a dull, ashen-gray with wide, irregular, 

 dull-brown, longitudinal stripes. Posterior edge of first 7 valves marked 

 with 4 or 5 squares of blackish brown. Girdle with alternating pale stripes 

 of grayish green and grayish white. Posterior valve with minutely pimpled 

 ribs. Lateral areas of middle valves with 6 to 8 rows of small beads between 

 which are microscopic pinholes. Central areas smoothish, with fine, transverse 

 scratches. Common. 



Chiton viridis Spengler from the West Indies is very similar, but the 

 margins of the central areas have 6 to 1 1 very short, wavy ribs, and the 

 lateral areas have 3 or 4 strong ribs of rounded pustules. Uncommon. 



Chiton niarmoratus Linne Marbled Chiton 



South Florida to Texas and the West Indies. 



2 to 3 inches in length. Color variable: (i) entirely blackish brown; 

 (2) olive with flecks, patches and lines of whitish merging together towards 

 the middle; or (3) purplish brown or light-olive with zebra-like stripes on 

 the sides. Entire surface of valves smooth except for a microscopic, silky 

 texture. Lateral areas a little raised. Underside of posterior valve with 14 to 

 16 slits. A common West Indian littoral species. 



Chiton laevigatus Sowerby Smooth Panama Chiton 



Gulf of California to Panama. 



2 to 3 inches in length, similar to marmoratus. Girdle scales broader 

 than high and not very glossy. Valves smooth, with a silky sheen and 

 colored a grayish green over which are radiating rays of dark-brown. 

 Similar coloration in the other valves. Underside of posterior valve with 2 1 

 narrow slits. Sutural plates on underside of middle valves with a dark blotch 

 at the base. Common. 



Chiton albolineatus Sowerby (western Mexico, uncommon) is also a 

 smooth species, but differs in having only 16 to 17 slits in the posterior 

 valve and has snow-white, radiating lines on the lateral areas and on the 

 end valves. The girdle scales are light blue-green and edged with white. 



Chiton virgulatus Sowerby Virgulate Chiton 



Magdalena Bay, Lower California, to Panama. 



