Definition:
Although they may look a bit like bugs or scaled worms, chitons are animals in the Phylum Mollusca, which means that they're related to such diverse organisms as octopuses, squid, clams, mussels, and nudibranchs.
Chitons are in the Class Polyplacophora. The term polyplacophora means "many plates."
Chitons have 8 plates, or valves (illustrated well by the photo here) covering their mantle, and may be covered with spines, hair or scales.
About 800 species of chitons have been described.
Pronunciation: ki-ton
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