Mopalia muscosa
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Mopalia muscosa, the mossy chiton, is a species of chiton, a polyplacophoran, an eight-plated marine mollusk. It is a northeastern Pacific species which occurs from British Columbia, Canada, to Baja California Mexico.[1][2][3]
This species is found in the middle and lower intertidal zone on exposed rocky shores. Mopalia muscosa can be Script error: No such module "convert". in length. Mossy chitons are often covered by algae, barnacles, and limpets. The chiton's girdle is covered with coarse hair-like bristles or "setae".The visible exterior of the chiton's eight shell plates are typically a drab brown or grey-green, however on the underside the shell plates have a vibrant turquoise blue color. Some mossy chitons are biofluorescent mainly around the girdle and may show a bright glowing green color under ultra-violet or blue light.[4] Mossy chitons typically move about at night or when covered by a high tide in order to graze on the red and green algae of which their diet consists. Young chitons have a planktonic stage and later metamorphose and settle on the bottom as adults.
Gallery
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Mossy chiton found in Tribune Bay, Hornby Island British Columbia
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A small specimen covered in and surrounded by encrusting Lithothamnion red alga
References
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