Sluglike shelled creature from South Africa

March 13, 2006
From: D. Ahomed

While on vacation in Capetown, South Africa, I came across this Slug-like shelled sea creature. Can anyone tell me what is is?

Locality: Kalk Bay Beach, 1 ft., Capetown, South Africa, Indian Ocean, December 2005, rocky area of beach water, no sand near. Length: 8". Photographer: Dawn.

Dawn Ahomed

theahomeds@comcast.net

Ahomed, D., 2006 (Mar 13) Sluglike shelled creature from South Africa. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/16073

Dear Dawn,
Living in Sydney I would say it looks like our Opera House from a funny angle. However the southern tip of South Africa is famous for the large variety of chitons that are found there. Chitons are a special group of molluscs [snails, clams, octopus etc] which have 8 shell plates, usually held together by a leathery strap or girdle which you can see in your photo.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2006 (Mar 13). Comment on Sluglike shelled creature from South Africa by D. Ahomed. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/16073

Factsheet

Chitons, Amphineura and Polyplacophora

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