Giant Gem Chiton (species: Acanthopleura gemmata) in Lizard Island area: all known taxa (Lizard Island Field Guide)
Lizard Island area: all known taxa > Animalia > Mollusca > Polyplacophora > Chitonida > Chitonidae > Acanthopleura > Acanthopleura gemmata (gallery)
Acanthopleura gemmata
Giant Gem Chiton


©Anne Hoggett: Acanthopleura gemmata at Lizard Island

©Anne Hoggett: Acanthopleura gemmata at Lizard Island, on same rock as other photographed specimen

©Anne Hoggett: Acanthopleura gemmata about 8 cm long on intertidal dead coral boulder at MacGillivray Reef near Lizard Island.

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Kingdom Animalia
Phylum Mollusca
Class Polyplacophora
Order Chitonida
Family Chitonidae
Genus Acanthopleura
Species Acanthopleura gemmata

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Lizard Island Field Guide
Lizard Island area: all known taxa

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Distinguishing features

This is the common large chiton in the Lizard Island area, found clinging tightly to intertidal rocks. Eight broad, slightly arched valves are surrounded by heavy, spiky girdle tissue.

Size

  • Up to 9 cm (Length)

Synonyms

Comments

Chitons have received little attention from researchers at Lizard Island and few species are recorded. Mather and Bennett (1993) list numerous species from the southern Great Barrier Reef, some of which are small and inconspicuous. There are certainly more to be discovered at Lizard Island.

by Anne Hoggett

Distribution


©Atlas of Living Australia: Australian distribution

Web resources

References

  • Czechura, G. (2013). The Great Barrier Reef: A Queensland Museum Discovery Guide Queensland Museum, Brisbane.
  • Lambrides, A.B.J., I.J. McNiven, S.J. Aird, K.A. Lowe, P. Moss, C. Rowe, C. Harris, C. Maclaurin, S.A. Slater, K. Carroll, M.H. Cedar, F. Petchey, C. Reepmeyer, M. Harris, J. Charlie, E. McGreen, P. Baru and S. Ulm (2020). Changing use of Lizard Island over the past 4000 years and implications for understanding Indigenous offshore island use on the Great Barrier Reef. Queensland Archaeological Research, 23: 43-109. LIRS catalog number 2470.
  • Mather, P. and I. Bennett (1993). A Coral Reef Handbook: A guide to the geology, flora and fauna of the Great Barrier Reef Surrey Beatty and Sons Pty Ltd, Chipping Norton NSW. ISBN: 0-949324-47-7.
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