Description: A small chiton (up to 34 mm) with a relatively broad girdle that is densely covered in thick, coarse spines. The spines are arranged in 18 conspicuous tufts of bristles that can be up to 1 mm long. The overall shape is an elongate oval. Colouration is highly variable and can be anything from grey, off-white, yellow, green, brown and even shades of blue, in patterns of blotches and streaks. They are very rarely a uniform colour, most often a combination of creamy white to olive brown. They have strongly arched valves and well-pronounced beak.

Habitat: Found from the lower shore to the sublittoral.

Distribution: There has historically been some confusion over the taxonomy and therefore distribution of the Acanthochitona spp. in Britain and Ireland. DNA barcoding has suggested Acanthochitona discrepans is a northern species and that Acanthochitona crinita has a much broader range. Acanthochitona fasicularis appears to be more southern.

Similar Species: Could be confused with Acanthochitona fasicularis or Acanthochitona discrepans.

Key Identification Features:

• Small chiton up to 34 mm.
• Girdle has 18 dense tufts of coarse spines.
• Valves strongly arched with a pronounced beak.

Distribution Map from NBN: Acanthochitona crinita at National Biodiversity Network mapping facility, data for UK.

iNaturalist: Acanthochitona crinita at iNaturalist World Species Observations database.

GBIF data for Acanthochitona crinita

WoRMS: Acanthochitona crinita at World Register of Marine Species. Accepted name: Acanthochitona crinita (Pennant, 1777). AphiaID: 138675.

Classification: Biota; Animalia; Mollusca; Polyplacophora; Neoloricata; Chitonida; Acanthochitonina; Cryptoplacoidea; Acanthochitonidae; Acanthochitoninae; Acanthochitona