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butterfly-shaped shell with photos
12-16-2008, 01:29 PM,
#1
butterfly-shaped shell with photos
In the past couple of weeks I found several shell fragments with an unusual shape.  I have lived on the coast in the Pacific Northwest (California/Oregon border) for 14 years and have never noticed shell fragments like these.  Hopefully, the photo posting works -- <a href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/4874771" target="_blank"><!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/4874771">http://www.badongo.com/pic/4874771</a><!-- m --></a> and [urlhttp://www.badongo.com/pic/4874770[/url] .

Thanks for your help.
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12-16-2008, 01:33 PM,
#2
butterfly-shaped shell with photos
Argh!  Second pic attempt #2

<a href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/4874770" target="_blank"><!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://www.badongo.com/pic/4874770">http://www.badongo.com/pic/4874770</a><!-- m --></a>
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12-16-2008, 01:34 PM,
#3
butterfly-shaped shell with photos
This is a shell plate from the world's largest chiton, Cryptochiton stelleri, which reaches a foot in length.  The shell plates in this unusual chiton are internal, not visible at all in the living animal.

Here's a picture of the 8 shell plates, arranged as they would be inside the living animal:

<a href="http://members.cox.net/paulcyp/CRYPTstelleri.jpg" target="_blank"><!-- m --><a class="postlink" href="http://members.cox.net/paulcyp/CRYPTstelleri.jpg">http://members.cox.net/paulcyp/CRYPTstelleri.jpg</a><!-- m --></a>  <span class="petit">--Last edited by Paul Monfils on 2008-12-16 04:33:44 --</span>
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12-16-2008, 02:56 PM,
#4
butterfly-shaped shell with photos
That's it!  I have seen many chitons in the area.  Thanks so much.
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