Southwest Florida Shells

by José H. Leal

Family Chaetopleuridae

Chaetopleura apiculata

(Say, 1834)

Eastern Beaded Chiton

Size to 38 mm; shell with eight valves, central area of valves with longitudinal lines, lateral areas with minute beads. Girdle with microscopic scales. Color very variable. Usually found washed ashore inside pen shells. The first supplementary image was taken by Amy Tripp on Kice Island, Collier County, in 2013.