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LORICIDAE |
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Lorica volvox (Reeve, 1847) Description: Animal ovatel, elongate, angled dorsally, girdle moderate to broad. Median valves with pleural and lateral areas well defined; lateral area with numerous radiating rows of small pustules; pleural areas with widely spaced longitudinal ridges. Girdle slit posteriorly; surface covered with rounded scales of various sizes, with tufts of spicules (as in Acanthochitonidae), one at the junction of each valve pair, 8 around the head valve, 4 around the tail valve, and in 3 rows spread across the girdle. Colour brown, fawn or grey often with a dark brown stripe on the dorsal ridge. Size: Up to 90 mm in length. Distribution: Endemic to Australia: Port Stephens, NSW, southwards and around southern Australia to south-western WA, including Tas. Habitat: Lives in the low intertidal and shallow subtidal, under stones in muddy situations. Moderately common. Synonymy: Previously recognised synonyms include Chiton cinolius Reeve, 1847 from SA, Chiton rudis Hutton, 1972 from NSW and Lorica paucipustulosa Hull, 1923 from south-western WA. Remarks: The tufts of spicules on the girdle are fragile and usually not seen on dried specimens. Fig. 1: Long Reef, Collaroy, NSW (C.574776). Fig. 2: Valve and girdle detail (Same specimen as Fig. 1). Fig. 3: Scales detail (Same specimen as Fig. 1). |
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