About Lepidozona mertensii (Middendorff, 1847)
Lepidozona mertensii, also known as Merten's chiton, can grow up to 5 centimeters in length. A key distinguishing feature of this species is the overlapping oval scales covering its girdle, which give the structure a granular appearance. The girdle may show yellow and red banding, and its valves are most often brown, cream, red, or greenish-purple. In its life cycle, female Merten's chitons lay eggs enclosed in cases. These eggs hatch into planktonic larvae called trochophores, which metamorphose directly into young adult chitons without passing through a veliger stage.
