''Chiton magnificus'', the liquorice sea cradle, is a Southeast Pacific

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriat ...

of edible

chiton Chitons () are marine molluscs of varying size in the class Polyplacophora (), formerly known as Amphineura. About 940 extant and 430 fossil species are recognized. They are also sometimes known as gumboots or sea cradles or coat-of-mail she ...

, a

marine Marine is an adjective meaning of or pertaining to the sea or ocean. Marine or marines may refer to: Ocean * Maritime (disambiguation) * Marine art * Marine biology * Marine debris * Marine habitats * Marine life * Marine pollution Military ...

polyplacophoran

mollusk Mollusca is the second-largest phylum of invertebrate animals after the Arthropoda, the members of which are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 85,000 extant species of molluscs are recognized. The number of fossil species is e ...

in the family

Chitonidae Chitonidae is a family of chitons or polyplacophorans, marine mollusks whose shell is composed of eight articulating plates or valves. There are fifteen extant genera in three subfamilies. Subfamilies and genera Subfamilies and genera within th ...

, the typical chitons.

Description

''Chiton magnificus'' is a very large chiton, with specimen confirmed at length of up to . It is shiny and very dark bluish-grey.

Distribution and habitat

The distribution of ''Chiton magnificus'' ranges along the Pacific coast of South America from

Cape Horn Cape Horn ( es, Cabo de Hornos, ) is the southernmost headland of the Tierra del Fuego archipelago of southern Chile, and is located on the small Hornos Island. Although not the most southerly point of South America (which are the Diego Ramí ...

in ChileCarolina J. Zagal and Consuelo Hermosilla C. (2007). ''Guía de Invertebrados marinos del sur de Chile''. Editorial Fantástico Sur, Punta Arenas, Chile to San Lorenzo Island in Peru. Although there are old claimed records of this species from the

Galápagos Islands The Galápagos Islands ( Spanish: , , ) are an archipelago of volcanic islands. They are distributed on each side of the equator in the Pacific Ocean, surrounding the centre of the Western Hemisphere, and are part of the Republic of Ecuad ...

, these are now considered incorrect. This species is found in places with strong current along rocky coasts, including pools. It can be found at depths of ,SeaLifeBase
/ref> but in northern Chile it appears to be restricted to

subtidal The neritic zone (or sublittoral zone) is the relatively shallow part of the ocean above the drop-off of the continental shelf, approximately in depth. From the point of view of marine biology it forms a relatively stable and well-illuminated ...

areas.

Human use

''Chiton magnificus'' is edible. Although relatively uncommon, it is one of the few commercially important chitons in its range, others being the even larger, up to , spiny ''

Acanthopleura echinata ''Acanthopleura echinata'' is a Southeast Pacific species of edible chiton, a marine polyplacophoran mollusc in the family Chitonidae, the typical chitons. Description ''Acanthopleura echinata'' is a very large chiton, with specimen confirmed at ...

'' and the smaller, up to , brownish ''

Chiton granosus Chitons () are marine molluscs of varying size in the class Polyplacophora (), formerly known as Amphineura. About 940 extant and 430 fossil species are recognized. They are also sometimes known as gumboots or sea cradles or coat-of-mail shel ...

''.

References

External links

MNHN
{{Taxonbar, from=Q3075543 Chitonidae Edible molluscs Western South American coastal fauna Molluscs of South America Molluscs described in 1844