Back Kewerslak AF خيتون Arabic عديدة الاصداف ARZ Zirehli molyusklar AZ Панцырныя малюскі BE Панцырныя малюскі BE-X-OLD Панцерни мекотели Bulgarian Mnogoljušturaši BS Poliplacòfors Catalan Polyplacophora CEB
| Chiton Temporal range:
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| A live lined chiton, Tonicella lineata photographed in situ: The anterior end of the animal is to the right. | |
Scientific classification 
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| Domain: | Eukaryota |
| Kingdom: | Animalia |
| Phylum: | Mollusca |
| Class: | Polyplacophora Blainville, 1816 |
| Subgroups | |
Chitons (/ˈkaɪtənz, -tɒnz/) are marine molluscs of varying size in the class Polyplacophora (/ˌpɒlipləˈkɒfərə/ POL-ee-plə-KOF-ər-ə),[3] formerly known as Amphineura.[4] About 940[5][6] extant and 430[7] fossil species are recognized.
They are also sometimes known as sea cradles or coat-of-mail shells or suck-rocks, or more formally as loricates, polyplacophorans, and occasionally as polyplacophores.
Chitons have a shell composed of eight separate shell plates or valves.[3] These plates overlap slightly at the front and back edges, and yet articulate well with one another. Because of this, the shell provides protection at the same time as permitting the chiton to flex upward when needed for locomotion over uneven surfaces, and even allows the animal to curl up into a ball when dislodged from rocks.[8] The shell plates are encircled by a skirt known as a girdle.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
Runnegar1974was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Cite error: The named reference
LesleyCherns2007was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b Chisholm, Hugh, ed. (1911). . Encyclopædia Britannica. Vol. 6 (11th ed.). Cambridge University Press. pp. 247–251.
- ^ "Polyplacophora". Integrated Taxonomic Information System.
- ^ Schwabe, E (2005). "A catalogue of recent and fossil chitons (Mollusca: Polyplacophora) addenda". Novapex. 6: 89–105.
- ^ Stebbins, T.D.; Eernisse, D.J. (2009). "Chitons (Mollusca: Polyplacophora) known from benthic monitoring programs in the Southern California Bight". The Festivus. 41: 53–100.
- ^ Puchalski, S.; Eernisse, D.J.; Johnson, C.C. (2008). "The effect of sampling bias on the fossil record of chitons (Mollusca, Polyplacophora)". American Malacological Bulletin. 25: 87–95. doi:10.4003/0740-2783-25.1.87. S2CID 59485784. Archived from the original on 26 July 2020. Retrieved 4 October 2021.
- ^ Connors, M.J.; Ehrlich, H.; Hog, M.; Godeffroy, C.; Araya, S.; Kallai, I.; Gazit, D.; Boyce, M.; Ortiz, C. (2012). "Three-Dimensional Structure of the Shell Plate Assembly of the Chiton Tonicella Marmorea and Its Biomechanical Consequences". Journal of Structural Biology. 177 (2): 314–328. doi:10.1016/j.jsb.2011.12.019. PMID 22248452.