A groundbreaking new study published recently reveals that chitons grow teeth that aren’t just hard; they're harder than stainless steel, zirconium oxide, and even human enamel.
About Chitons:
They are flattened, bilaterally symmetrical marine invertebrates.
Chitons belong to the phylum Mollusca (along with sea snails, sea slugs, and bivalves).
Chitons occur only in marine habitats. They are worldwide in distribution but most abundant in warm regions.
The approximately 600 species are usually placed in the class Placophora, Polyplacophora, or Loricata.
Features:
Chitons are usually oval in shape.
They vary in appearance and can be found in shades of grey and brown, red, green, and pink.
On the dorsal (upper) surface is a row of eight overlapping plates surrounded or covered by a tough girdle.
Chitons use a large, flat foot for creeping along and clinging to rocks; they also have a well-developed radula (filelike structure) with which to scrape algae and other plant food from rocks.
On either side of the foot is a groove containing the gills.
About 5 cm (2 inches) is the maximum length of most chitons.
Chitons are very flexible and can fit snugly into rock crevices or curl into a ball when detached.
They can also adhere so firmly to rocks that they may be injured when pried loose.
Life span typically ranges from a few years to 20 years.
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