Aerilamma murdochi

Taxobox
name = "Aerilamma murdochi"
status =
regnum = Animalia
phylum = Mollusca
classis = Polyplacophora
ordo = Neoloricata
subordo = Acanthochitonina
familia = Mopaliidae
genus = "Aerilamma"
species = "A. murdochi"
binomial = "Aerilamma murdochi"
binomial_authority = (Reeve, 1847)
synonyms = "Plaxiphora murdochi" Suter, 1905

"Aerilamma murdochi" is an uncommon species of chiton in the family Mopaliidae.

Distribution

This species is endemic to New Zealand.

Habitat

This uncommon chiton is found under smooth stones at low water on open coasts.

Description

The shells is small, broadly ovate and depressed, with subobsolete radial ribbing, and a dense surface pattern of fine wrinkles that are more or less vertical over the central area, but are radially on the lateral areas. The girdle is thick but narrow, with sutural pores, and dense, minute, triangular scales, but no hair-like processes.

Coloration of the valves is dark green, with longitudinal, irregular darker lines or stripes. Occasionally one or more of the valves are white, or with white patches.

Length is up to 20 mm, and the width is up to 13 mm.

References

* Powell A. W. B., "New Zealand Mollusca", William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand 1979 ISBN 0-00-216906-1