The Canary Chiton is a species in the class of the Polyplacophora and thus belongs to the phylum of the Mollusca. Rhyssoplax canariensis was first described in 1840 by d’Orbigny.
Description
The Canary Chiton has a slightly elongated, oval shaped body. It consists of eight transversal plates bordered by the girdle. The colouration is variable.
Rhyssoplax canariensis can reach up to 3cm in length.
Habitat and Distribution
The Canary Chiton lives in the shallow waters of the surf zone, on a solid ground.
When diving in the Canaries you can only rarely observe it.
In addition, its spread extends across the Azores and from the Portuguese and Spanish Atlantic coast along the coast of West Africa to Senegal. It can also be that it occurs in the Red Sea.
Biology
There is not much known about the biology of Rhyssoplax canariensis So far, I have only been able to observe it during night dives.
Moreover, their food consists of algae.
References