Shell Specimen: Chiton

“Shelling” is a fun for professional scientist and amateurs alike. A majority of the shells below are composed of the mineral aragonite CaCO3. Many of my modern or “recent” shells have fossil relatives in my Fossil Gallery. Below I have organized images and data of some of my sea shells.

The Class Polyplacophora consist of what are commonly called “Chiton“. Modern chiton have eight calcarious plates surrounded by a muscular girdle. Paleontologist have even found the plates of fossil chiton, sadly I do not own any at this time.

Kingdom: Animalia – Phylum: Mollusca – Class: Polyplacophora

(Chiton)

Data: Dance, S. Peter, Smithsonian Handbook: Shells, The photographic regognition guide to seashells of the world. A Dorling Kindersley Book.