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Chiton

Various species - e.g. Lepidochitona cinerea

Chitons clamp themselves tightly to rocks, their eight shell plates forming a segmented “armour.” They graze on algae at night and can be easy to miss unless you check carefully under stones during low tide. On Lihou, look for them on wave-exposed rocks or tucked into rocky crevices, where they remain unnoticed by day.

  • Habitat: Hard, rocky surfaces in the lower intertidal and shallow subtidal; often under stones or in crevices.
  • When to See: Year-round
  • Length: 1–3 cm