Mopalia hindsii

Cladus: Eukaryota
Supergroup: Opisthokonta
Regnum: Animalia
Subregnum: Eumetazoa
Cladus: Bilateria
Cladus: Nephrozoa
Cladus: Protostomia
Cladus: Spiralia
Cladus: Lophotrochozoa
Phylum: Mollusca
Classis: Polyplacophora
Ordo: Ischnochitonina
Familia: Mopaliidae
Subfamilia: Mopaliinae
Genus: Mopalia
Species: M. hindsii

Mopalia hindsii is a species of medium sized chiton that grows up to 7 cm long. Most commonly found in intertidal zones, M. hindsii enjoys protected areas and has a white ventral side unlike most intertidal chitons that are orange underneath.

Range

M. hindsii have been observed from South California all the way North to Alaska.

Habitat

M. hindsii are most common in protected environments like shallow bays, underneath rocks and on shaded pilings.

Diet

While most chitons are herbivores, M. hindsii will graze on just about anything in its path that doesn’t escape including polychaetes, amphipods, barnacles, sponges and algae. This uncommon lifestyle most likely explains why M. hindsii are able to survive in areas too silty for other chitons

Keying out Mopalia hindsii

Key from Kozloff's Marine Invertebrates of the Pacific Northwest

p. 185-191: 1b. 2b. 3b. 4b. 6b. 11a. 12b. 23b. 24b. 26b. 27b. 29a. 30b. 31b.

Plates

* Not covered by girdle
* Plate 8 not twice as long as 1
* Lateral areas of plates 2-7 have uniform sized tubercules
* Tubercules on plates 2-7 arranged in longitudinal rows near the center separated by a line of tubercules from the oblique rows of tubercules on lateral areas

Girdle

* Grey on dorsal surface, white on ventral surface
* Does not cover more than 2/3 of each plate
* Dorsal surface of girdle has hairs not granules or scales
* Girdle a uniform thickness, not thicker at anterior end
* Anterior end of girdle has a pronounced cleft

Hairs

* Flexible and thin, not longer than girdle is thick
* If branched, only from proximal portions of largest hairs

References

* Kozloff, Eugene N. Marine Invertebrates of the Pacific Northwest. Seattle, WA: University of Washington Press, 1996.
* Lamb, Andy, and Hanby, Bernard P. Marine Life of the Pacific Northwest. Madeira Park, BC: Harbour Publishing, 2005.
* Kozloff, Eugene N. Seashore Life of the Northern Pacific Coast. Seattle, WA: University of Washington Press, 1973.