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In this article we will discuss about the structure of Chiton with the help of a diagram.
1. It is a marine animal of cosmopolitan distribution.
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2. It is found attached to stones and rocks (coral reefs) between tide marks.
3. Body is elliptical and is convex on dorsal and flat on ventral surface. Shell is present on dorsal side and is made up of 8 transverse and overlapping calcareous plates arranged in linear-zones.
4. Around the plates is present the mantle which is covered thickly with spicules.
5. On the ventral surface the major portion is occupied by foot.
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6. Between foot and mantle is present the mantle groove which is having about 80 ctenidia like gills on either side of foot.
7. Behind the foot, in the middle, lies the anal pore and in front of the foot in the middle segmented lies a large head with small opening —the mouth, but there are no eye or tentacles.
8. On one side in the mantle groove is present a genital and an excretory pore.
9. Sexes are separate, gonad is single and Development through trochophore larva.
10. Nocturnal, herbivorous (feeding on algae) and are used for decoration and as food.
