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Story: Shellfish

Snakeskin chiton

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Snakeskin chiton

Chitons are a simple type of shellfish. They have eight shell-like plates on their back and a broad muscular foot for clinging on to rocks. If they are dislodged they can roll into a ball. The typical shellfish mantle forms a band, or girdle, around the rim of the shell. In this common species the girdle has dark stripes and resembles a snake’s skin.

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Te Ara - The Encyclopedia of New Zealand

by Melanie Lovell-Smith

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How to cite this page

Maggy Wassilieff, Shellfish – Chitons, tusk shells and rare classes, Te Ara – the Encyclopedia of New Zealand, https://teara.govt.nz/en/photograph/8032/snakeskin-chiton (accessed 24 June 2026).

Story by Maggy Wassilieff, published 2 March 2009.

Comments

Jay
11 April 2011
this species is common through out New Zealand, occuring quite high up on the beach. It is unusual that it is often seen on the exposed upper surface of rocks, and for this reason is likely to be the chiton most readily found....