Sypharochiton pelliserpentis: Difference between revisions

Sypharochiton pelliserpentis
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Polyplacophora
Order:	Chitonida
Family:	Chitonidae
Genus:	Sypharochiton
Species:	S. pelliserpentis
Binomial name
	Sypharochiton pelliserpentis; (Quoy and Gaimard, 1835)
Synonyms
	Chiton pelliserpentis Quoy & Gaimard, 1835;

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Sypharochiton pelliserpentis is a species of chiton in the family Chitonidae. As the species name suggests, the surface of the girdle in this chiton has a pattern of overlaying scales resembling snakeskin, and it is commonly referred to as the snakeskin chiton.^[1] The Māori name for the species is papatua.^[2]

Distribution

The snakeskin chiton, Sypharochiton pelliserpentis, has a country-wide distribution around New Zealand – including the Chatham Islands, and is also distributed around the coasts of Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales in Australia.^[3] S. pelliserpentis is often extremely numerous on New Zealand shores, reaching densities of up to 228 individuals per square metre, and it has been shown to occupy a wide range of shore levels wherever there is a solid substrate available – from inner estuaries to high energy surf beaches.^[4] Generally it is located on rock surfaces rather than under stones, and is often found above neap high water mark.^[5]

Description

S. pelliserpentis can be distinguished from its sister taxa Sypharochiton sinclairi by a lack of longitudinal striping on the valves, a more olive colour (rather than turquoise for S. sinclairi) and by radula length.^[6] S. sinclairi also occupies a different station, with S. pelliserpentis generally found on top of rocks above mid tide while S. sinclari is generally located under stones and in rock pools over the lower tidal and sub-tidal region.^[7]

References

^ "Snake-skinned Chiton". www.mesa.edu.au. Retrieved 2023-06-16.
^ "Chiton, snakeskin". www.marinelife.ac.nz. Retrieved 16 June 2023.
^ Powell A. W. B. (1979). New Zealand Mollusca, William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand, ISBN 0-00-216906-1
^ Boyle PR (1970) Aspects of the ecology of a littoral chiton, Sypharochiton pelliserpentis (Mollusca: Polyplacophora. N.Z. Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 4, 364-384
^ Boyle PR (1970) Aspects of the ecology of a littoral chiton, Sypharochiton pelliserpentis (Mollusca: Polyplacophora. N.Z. Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 4, 364-384
^ Johns PM (1960) Chiton pelliserpentis (Mollusca, Amphineura). A study in the taxonomy of a species in relation to its breeding biology and ecology. MSc, University of Canterbury
^ Powell A. W. B. (1979). New Zealand Mollusca, William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand, ISBN 0-00-216906-1

External links

Papatua (snakeskin chiton) discussed on RNZ Critter of the Week, 16 June 2023

This Chiton-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[1] "Snake-skinned Chiton". www.mesa.edu.au. Retrieved 2023-06-16.

[2] "Chiton, snakeskin". www.marinelife.ac.nz. Retrieved 16 June 2023.

[3] Powell A. W. B. (1979). New Zealand Mollusca, William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand, ISBN 0-00-216906-1

[4] Boyle PR (1970) Aspects of the ecology of a littoral chiton, Sypharochiton pelliserpentis (Mollusca: Polyplacophora. N.Z. Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 4, 364-384

[5] Boyle PR (1970) Aspects of the ecology of a littoral chiton, Sypharochiton pelliserpentis (Mollusca: Polyplacophora. N.Z. Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 4, 364-384

[6] Johns PM (1960) Chiton pelliserpentis (Mollusca, Amphineura). A study in the taxonomy of a species in relation to its breeding biology and ecology. MSc, University of Canterbury

[7] Powell A. W. B. (1979). New Zealand Mollusca, William Collins Publishers Ltd, Auckland, New Zealand, ISBN 0-00-216906-1

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@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
+{{Short description|Species of mollusc}}
-{{Taxobox
+{{Speciesbox
-| color = pink
-| name = ''Sypharochiton pelliserpentis''
+| image = Sypharochiton pelliserpentis 59991455.jpg
-| image =
-| image_width =
 | status =
+| taxon = Sypharochiton pelliserpentis
-| regnum = [[Animal]]ia
+| authority = ([[Jean René Constant Quoy|Quoy]] and [[Joseph Paul Gaimard|Gaimard]], 1835)
-| phylum = [[Mollusca]]
+| synonyms = * ''Chiton pelliserpentis'' <small>[[Jean René Constant Quoy|Quoy]] & [[Joseph Paul Gaimard|Gaimard]], 1835</small>
-| classis = [[Polyplacophora]]
-| ordo = [[Chitonida]]
-| subordo = [[Chitonina]]
-| superfamilia = [[Chitonoidea]]
-| familia = [[Chitonidae]]
-| genus = ''[[Sypharochiton]]''
-| species = '''''S. suteri'''''
-| binomial = ''Sypharochiton pelliserpentis''
-| binomial_authority = ([[Jean René Constant Quoy|Quoy]] and [[Joseph Paul Gaimard|Gaimard]], 1835)
-| synonyms = ''Chiton pelliserpentis'' <small>[[Jean René Constant Quoy|Quoy]] and [[Joseph Paul Gaimard|Gaimard]], 1835</small>
 }}
+'''''Sypharochiton pelliserpentis''''' is a species of [[chiton]] in the [[family (biology)|family]] [[Chitonidae]]. As the species name suggests, the surface of the [[Girdle (chiton)|girdle]] in this chiton has a pattern of overlaying scales resembling snakeskin, and it is commonly referred to as the snakeskin chiton.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Snake-skinned Chiton |url=http://www.mesa.edu.au/friends/seashores/c_pelliserpentis.html |access-date=2023-06-16 |website=www.mesa.edu.au}}</ref> The [[Māori language|Māori]] name for the species is ''papatua''.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Chiton, snakeskin |url=https://www.marinelife.ac.nz/species/1038 |access-date=16 June 2023 |website=www.marinelife.ac.nz}}</ref>
-'''''Sypharochiton pelliserpentis''''' is a species of [[chiton]] in the [[family (biology)|family]] [[Chitonidae]].
-==Distribution==
+== Distribution ==
+The snakeskin chiton, ''Sypharochiton pelliserpentis'', has a country-wide distribution around New Zealand – including the Chatham Islands, and is also distributed around the coasts of Tasmania, Victoria and New South Wales in Australia.''<ref>[[Arthur William Baden Powell|Powell A. W. B.]] (1979). ''New Zealand Mollusca'', [[HarperCollins|William Collins Publishers Ltd]], Auckland, New Zealand, {{ISBN|0-00-216906-1}}</ref>  S. pelliserpentis'' is often extremely numerous on New Zealand shores, reaching densities of up to 228 individuals per square metre, and it has been shown to occupy a wide range of shore levels wherever there is a solid substrate available – from inner estuaries to high energy surf beaches.<ref>Boyle PR (1970) Aspects of the ecology of a littoral chiton, ''Sypharochiton pelliserpentis'' (Mollusca: Polyplacophora. N.Z. Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 4, 364-384</ref>  Generally it is located on rock surfaces rather than under stones, and is often found above neap high water mark.<ref>Boyle PR (1970) Aspects of the ecology of a littoral chiton, ''Sypharochiton pelliserpentis'' (Mollusca: Polyplacophora. N.Z. Journal of Marine and Freshwater Research 4, 364-384</ref>
-This species is [[endemism|endemic]] to [[New Zealand]] including the [[Chatham Islands]].  It is New Zealand's most common chiton.
-==Habitat==
-This chiton is found under stones, above the mid-tide level.
 ==Description==
-The shell is coarsely [[sculpture (mollusc)|sculptured]] with nodulose radial ribs over both end [[valve (chiton)|valve]]s, as well as the lateral areas of the median valves.  The central area is densely longitudinally grooved.
+''S. pelliserpentis'' can be distinguished from its sister taxa ''[[Sypharochiton sinclairi]]'' by a lack of longitudinal striping on the valves, a more olive colour (rather than turquoise for ''S. sinclairi'') and by radula length.<ref>Johns PM (1960) ''Chiton pelliserpentis'' (Mollusca, Amphineura). A study in the taxonomy of a species in relation to its breeding biology and ecology. MSc, University of Canterbury</ref>  ''S. sinclairi'' also occupies a different station, with ''S. pelliserpentis'' generally found on top of rocks above mid tide while ''S. sinclari'' is generally located under stones and in rock pools over the lower tidal and sub-tidal region.<ref>[[Arthur William Baden Powell|Powell A. W. B.]] (1979). ''New Zealand Mollusca'', [[HarperCollins|William Collins Publishers Ltd]], Auckland, New Zealand, {{ISBN|0-00-216906-1}}</ref>
-Coloration is greenish, heavily blotched and streaked in dark green, mostly with dark wedge-shaped markings down the crest of the valves.
-Length is up to 42 [[millimetre|mm]], and width up to 26 mm.
 ==References==
+{{Reflist}}
-* [[Arthur William Baden Powell|Powell A. W. B.]], ''New Zealand Mollusca'', [[HarperCollins|William Collins Publishers Ltd]], Auckland, New Zealand [[1979]] ISBN 0-00-216906-1
+==External links==
-[[Category:Chitons]]
+*  Papatua (snakeskin chiton) discussed on [[Radio New Zealand|RNZ]] ''[[Critter of the Week]]'', [https://www.rnz.co.nz/national/programmes/afternoons/audio/2018894693/critter-of-the-week-papatua-snakeskin-chiton 16 June 2023]
+{{Taxonbar|from=Q7662974}}
+[[Category:Chitonidae]]
+[[Category:Chitons described in 1835]]
 [[Category:Molluscs of New Zealand]]
+{{Chiton-stub}}