Polyplacophora |
Chitonida |
Mopaliidae
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Benthic; depth range 0 - 10 m (Ref. 290). Subtropical
Eastern Pacific: Canada, Alaska and USA.
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?  range ? - ? cm Max length : 5.7 cm TL male/unsexed; (Ref. 296)
Girdle: moderate width; color, buff to brown. Girdle: Randomly covered with minute, separated spicules with 10-12 thin hairs which are also located at suture and end valves; in addition there are scattered coarse bristles bearing smaller secondary bristles. Color of the valves: Turquoise-blue with orange-red zig-zag bands, green, tan with red markings or any variation of these (Ref. 296).
Depth based on occurrence record; to be replaced with better reference. Often found where there is an active current flow or tidal wash; on the undersides of boulders. May be covered with encrusting sponges, colonial tunicates, coral, bryozoans, and/or encrusting coralline algae; usually not found in association with M. ciliata (Ref. 290).
Life cycle and mating behavior
Maturity | Reproduction | Spawning | Eggs | Fecundity | Larvae
Members of the class Polyplacophora are mostly gonochoric. Life cycle: Eggs hatch into lecitotrophic planktonic trocophore larvae (no veliger stage) which later metamorphose and settle on the bottom as young adults.
Burghardt, G. and L. Burghardt 2006 West Coast Chitons. A Gallery of Worlwide Chitons: http://home.inreach.com/burghart/wcoast.html[accessed20/01/06] (Ref. 296)
IUCN Red List Status
(Ref. 130435: Version 2025-1)
CITES status (Ref. 108899)
Not Evaluated
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Human uses
| FishSource |
Tools
More information
Trophic EcologyFood items (preys)
Diet composition
Food consumption
Predators
Population dynamicsGrowth
Max. ages / sizes
Length-weight rel.
Length-length rel.
Length-frequencies
Mass conversion
Abundance
Life cycleReproductionMaturityFecunditySpawningEggsEgg developmentLarvae PhysiologyOxygen consumption
Human RelatedStamps, coins, misc.
Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature
(Ref.
115969): 6.8 - 12.4, mean 9.2 (based on 295 cells).
Fishing Vulnerability
Low vulnerability (10 of 100).
Price category
Unknown.