Harman Patil (Editor)

Plaxiphora obtecta

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Kingdom
  
Animalia

Class
  
Polyplacophora

Family
  
Mopaliidae

Rank
  
Species

Phylum
  
Mollusca

Order
  
Neoloricata

Genus
  
Plaxiphora

Plaxiphora obtecta

People also search for
  
Plaxiphora, Mopaliidae, Chiton

Plaxiphora obtecta is a large chiton in the family Mopaliidae, endemic to New Zealand, where it is most often found on the West Coast of the North Island. It is called Haka-hiwihiwi by the Māori and was likely a food source.

Description and habitat

Up to 90 millimetres (3.5 in) long and 65 millimetres (2.6 in) wide, making it one of the largest chitons found in New Zealand. It has a broad dark brown girdle dotted with small short bristles, and reduced dark green valves, sometimes with a paler stripe down the centre. It is frequent around the holdfasts of algae and in rock crevices around the low intertidal zone on exposed coasts.

References

Plaxiphora obtecta Wikipedia