About Mopalia lignosa (Gould, 1846)
The woody chiton, Mopalia lignosa, reaches medium to large sizes, with a total length between 37 and 76 mm. Its shell is brown or greenish, marked with prominent light brown or pale green lines. Its valve structure includes a strong V-shaped ridge and fine radial lines. These lines may be irregular depending on the individual shell, and the valves can also have a mottled pattern. This species has a thick, leathery brown girdle covered in short hairs. The woody chiton is commonly found on rocky shores of the Eastern Pacific, with a range extending from Alaska south to Baja California, Mexico. It inhabits the intertidal zone, and most often lives on the bottoms or sides of large boulders along open coasts. Eggs of this species hatch into planktonic trochophore larvae, which are part of the meroplankton community. These larvae eventually undergo metamorphosis and settle onto the seabed to develop into young adults.
