About Ischnochiton maorianus Iredale, 1914
Ischnochiton maorianus is a medium-sized, cigar-shaped chiton that reaches up to 50 millimeters in length. Its base color is typically dull brown or grey-green, though variants in its northern range often show additional coloration ranging from blue to orange. Small grainy riblets cover the outer sections of its valves, while the centers of the valves are either smooth or eroded. A white lengthwise streak often runs across the top of the animal. Its girdle is narrow, and may show irregular bands of dark or light shades. This species is most commonly found in sheltered harbours or on exposed coasts, ranging from the high intertidal zone down to 25 meters deep. It often aggregates in large groups around the edges of cobbles at or just below the sediment line.
