- Mopalia mucosa
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Mopalia mucosa 
Scientific classification Kingdom: Animalia Subkingdom: Metazoa Phylum: Mollusca Class: Polyplacophora Family: Mopaliidae Genus: Mopalia Species: M. mucosa Binomial name Mopalia mucosa
(Gould, 1846)Mopalia mucosa is a species of chiton, a polyplacophoran, an 8-plated marine mollusk.
This chiton is a northeastern Pacific species which occurs from British Columbia, Canada, to Baja California Mexico.
This species is found in the middle and lower intertidal zone on exposed rocky shores.
This chiton can be 40 to 55 mm (1.6 to 2.2 in) in length. In life it is quite often covered with growths of algae such that it is difficult or impossible to really see the plates. The girdle is covered in coarse hair-like bristles or "setae". Some have even been known to be covered in a sort of brown sludge which resembles refried beans. The eight shelly plates are brown or dark grey, and are a turquoise blue on the inner surfaces. So are so florescent that they are known to glow in the dark and flash pink polka dots.
A small specimen of Mopalia mucosa covered in and surrounded by encrusting Lithothamnion red alga
References
- McLean, James H. (1978). Marine Shells of Southern California. Los Angeles: Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County. ISBN 0-938644-03-3.[page needed]
External links
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