Javier Couper (Predomalpha), New Zealand
Info
Ischnochiton maorianus Iredale, 1914
The indigenous people of New Zealand, the Maori, call this beetle snail "Papatua",
Ischnochiton maorianus is a cigar-shaped beetle snail, with a narrow girdle covered with tiny scales. The colour of the beetle snail is usually brownish, but in northern regions of New Zealand they can be mottled, and range in colour from blue to orange.
They live on rocks or small boulders lying on sand or mud from the high intertidal zone.Rather than venturing onto the surface of rocks, this chiton prefers to feed on forageable material washed up by the current or detrital plant material that falls on or around the rocks.
The beetle snails move quickly away from the light and curl up when they fall off a rock.
The foot of the chiton is not as strong as that of many other chiton species.
Synonyms:
Chiton longicymba Quoy & Gaimard, 1835
schnochiton (Ischnochiton) maorianus Iredale, 1914·
The indigenous people of New Zealand, the Maori, call this beetle snail "Papatua",
Ischnochiton maorianus is a cigar-shaped beetle snail, with a narrow girdle covered with tiny scales. The colour of the beetle snail is usually brownish, but in northern regions of New Zealand they can be mottled, and range in colour from blue to orange.
They live on rocks or small boulders lying on sand or mud from the high intertidal zone.Rather than venturing onto the surface of rocks, this chiton prefers to feed on forageable material washed up by the current or detrital plant material that falls on or around the rocks.
The beetle snails move quickly away from the light and curl up when they fall off a rock.
The foot of the chiton is not as strong as that of many other chiton species.
Synonyms:
Chiton longicymba Quoy & Gaimard, 1835
schnochiton (Ischnochiton) maorianus Iredale, 1914·
