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CHITONIDAE |
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Chiton vauclusensis Hedley & Hull, 1909 Description: Animal elongate ovate, angled dorsally, girdle fairly broad, surface not eroded. Median valves with lateral and pleural area distinct; lateral areas with 4 or 5 strongly nodulose ribs; pleural area with strong horizontal ribs, about 16 on each side, extending over jugum. Girdle covered with large smooth scales, up to 0.5 mm wide. Valves coloured white and grey (in the faded holotype), with girdle alternating black and white. Size: Holotype 33 mm in length. Iredale and Hull (1927, p. 112) give the maximum length as 44.5 mm. Distribution: Known from Caloundra, Qld, southwards to Shellharbour, NSW. Habitat: Most specimens are from the low intertidal, but one lot was dredged in 48-59 m. Very uncommon. Remarks: The specimen figured is the holotype, which has faded since its original collection. Iredale & Hull (1927, p. 112) gave the colour as "Colour olive-buff flamed with sepia in the pleural area, the jugal area with sepia dots; most ribs picked out with orange or chocolate; rarely cream or ivory white with a few sepia dots on the posterior margins of the valves". Fig. 1: Bottle and Glass Rocks, Sydney Harbour (C.030457 HOLOTYPE). Fig. 2: Scales detail. Same specimen as Fig. 1 |
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