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Sypharochiton Pelliserpentis Research Paper

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Sypharochiton pelliserpentis S. pelliserpentis has a dorsal shell that is made up of eight shell parts known as valves. These eight valves are bound together by a girdle which is strong and flexible and circles the valves. This particular species of chiton has its plate overlapping to resemble snake’s skin, thus, being colloquially referred to as the snakeskin chiton. The valves of S. pelliserpentis are very hard and allows the chiton to lay flat against a rocky surface. S. pelliserpentis has many miniscule holes in their valves which have delicate tentacles that can be extracted and are light sensitive. The gills are found under their shell on either side of the foot. Like C. denticulata, S. pelliserpentis has a toothed radula that is used …show more content…

pelliserpentis has a muscular padded foot like that of C. denticulata. This allows the snakeskin chiton to latch on firmly to any rocky substrate. This enables S. pelliserpentis to stick so well that it could not be dislodged without being damaged. The ability to fixate themselves onto rocky prevents mechanical stress due to wave action at mid to low tide, allowing them to be found in heavy surf areas. S. pelliserpentis also curls into a ball as a defence against predators. The eight valves that are found on S. pelliserpentis overlap to be flat, and because this species is found in rough surf, the flat shells reduce water resistance, and also allow S. pelliserpentis to crawl into crevices to avoid damage due to wave action and limit exposure …show more content…

pelliserpentis is also a mollusc and a primary consumer in the intertidal zone. This species of chiton is smaller in size compared to C. denticulata having an average length of 46mm and width of 20mm. This often causes S. pelliserpentis to be physically ‘bullied’ out of the rocky substrate on which they live as they are significantly smaller. Because of this, S. pelliserpentis is commonly found under rocks and in crevices during summer where their population is less than C. denticulata. Snakeskin chitons are slow growing but are long living, having a minimum average life expectancy of 3 years. S. pelliserpentis reproduces much slower than denticulate limpets, and so not have a seasonal spawning period, but reproduce slowly all year. As a mollusc, S. pelliserpentis is a primary consumer in the littoral shore; however, because of their minute population to C. denticulata, this species has very little effect on algae growth. Due to interspecific competition with C. denticulata, S. pelliserpentis’ realised niche is narrower, and more focused at low

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