About Mopalia spectabilis I.M.Cowan & G.M.Cowan, 1977
Mopalia spectabilis is a species of chiton first formally described by I.M.Cowan & G.M.Cowan in 1977. On its shell plates, the central area of plates 2 through 7 is marked by pits arranged in longitudinal rows. The girdle is most commonly banded with light orange and brown. This species almost always has bright turquoise zigzag markings on its body. The girdle has prominent, plumed hairs that have been compared to small "bottle brushes" in appearance. The natural geographic distribution of Mopalia spectabilis extends from Kodiak Island, Alaska, down to Baja California. It is most often found under ledges and on the undersides of rocks, in intertidal waters down to a depth of 10 meters (33 feet).
