Chitonidae is a

family Family (from la, familia) is a Social group, group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or Affinity (law), affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its ...

chiton Chitons () are marine molluscs of varying size in the class Polyplacophora (), formerly known as Amphineura. About 940 extant and 430 fossil species are recognized. They are also sometimes known as gumboots or sea cradles or coat-of-mail s ...

s or polyplacophorans,

marine Marine is an adjective meaning of or pertaining to the sea or ocean. Marine or marines may refer to: Ocean * Maritime (disambiguation) * Marine art * Marine biology * Marine debris * Marine habitats * Marine life * Marine pollution Military * ...

mollusk Mollusca is the second-largest phylum of invertebrate animals after the Arthropoda, the members of which are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 85,000 extant species of molluscs are recognized. The number of fossil species is e ...

s whose shell is composed of eight articulating plates or valves. There are fifteen extant genera in three

subfamilies In biological classification, a subfamily (Latin: ', plural ') is an auxiliary (intermediate) taxonomic rank, next below family but more inclusive than genus. Standard nomenclature rules end subfamily botanical names with "-oideae", and zoologi ...

Subfamilies and genera

Subfamilies and genera within the family Chitonidae include: ** Subfamily Chitoninae Rafinesque, 1815 *** ''

Chiton Chitons () are marine molluscs of varying size in the class Polyplacophora (), formerly known as Amphineura. About 940 extant and 430 fossil species are recognized. They are also sometimes known as gumboots or sea cradles or coat-of-mail s ...

'' Linnaeus,

1758 Events January–March * January 1 – Swedish biologist Carl Linnaeus (Carl von Linné) publishes in Stockholm the first volume (''Animalia'') of the 10th edition of Systema Naturae, 10th edition of ''Systema Naturae'', the sta ...

– the type genus of the family *** '' Amaurochiton'' Thiele, 1893 *** ''

Radsia ''Radsia'' is a genus of chitons belonging to the family Chitonidae. The species of this genus are found in Southern America and Africa. Species: *''Radsia barnesii'' *''Radsia goodallii'' *''Radsia nigrovirescens'' *''Radsia sulcatus'' Re ...

Gray Grey (more common in British English) or gray (more common in American English) is an intermediate color between black and white. It is a neutral or achromatic color, meaning literally that it is "without color", because it can be composed o ...

, 1847 *** ''

Sypharochiton ''Sypharochiton'' is a genus of chitons in the family Chitonidae. Most species are endemic to the waters of New Zealand, except for ''Sypharochiton pelliserpentis'' which is found in both New Zealand and south-eastern Australia. Species * '' Syp ...

'' Thiele, 1893 *** '' Nodiplax'' Beu, 1967 *** ''

Rhyssoplax ''Rhyssoplax'' is a genus of chitons in the family (biology), family Chitonidae, endemism, endemic to Australia, New Zealand, New Caledonia, Norfolk Island, and the Kermadec Islands. Species * ''Rhyssoplax aerea'' (Lovell Augustus Reeve, Reeve, ...

'' Thiele, 1893 *** '' Teguloaplax'' Iredale & Hull, 1926 *** ''

Mucrosquama ''Mucrosquama'' is a genera, genus of chitons, a polyplacophoran mollusc in the family (biology), family Chitonidae, first described in 1926 by Tom Iredale and Arthur Francis Basset Hull. The type species is ''Mucrosquama carnosus'' first describ ...

'' Iredale, 1893 ** Subfamily Toniciinae

Pilsbry Henry Augustus Pilsbry (7 December 1862 – 26 October 1957) was an American biologist, malacologist and carcinologist, among other areas of study. He was a dominant presence in many fields of invertebrate taxonomy for the better part of a centu ...

, 1893 *** ''

Tonicia ''Tonicia'' is a genus of chitons in the subfamily Toniciinae of the family Chitonidae. MolluscaBase eds. (2022). MolluscaBase. Tonicia Gray, 1847. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at: https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php? ...

, 1847 *** '' Onithochiton''

, 1847 ** Subfamily Acanthopleurinae Dall, 1889 *** ''

Acanthopleura ''Acanthopleura'' is a genus of chitons in the family Chitonidae. In this genus the girdle is spiny or spiky. It has eight described species at present. Species According to the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS), species in the genus '' ...

'' Guilding, 1829 *** '' Liolophura''

, 1893 *** ''

Enoplochiton ''Enoplochiton niger'' is a Southeast Pacific species of chiton, a marine polyplacophoran mollusc in the family Chitonidae, the typical chitons. It is the only species in the genus ''Enoplochiton''.Gray Grey (more common in British English) or gray (more common in American English) is an intermediate color between black and white. It is a neutral or achromatic color, meaning literally that it is "without color", because it can be composed o ...

, 1847 *** '' Squamopleura'' Nierstrasz, 1905

References

* Chiton families Taxa named by Constantine Samuel Rafinesque {{Chiton-stub