Gumboot Chiton
Cryptochiton stelleri
Marine Invertebrates
Rocky intertidal and shallow subtidal habitat
iNaturalist records: Apr-Jun 2022
Meet this species
Gumboot chitons are the largest chitons on the Pacific coast and one of the most memorable animals of the rocky shore. They move slowly across hard surfaces, grazing on algae and other material. Nine observations in Ali's iNaturalist record make the gumboot chiton one of the repeatedly documented marine species at Greene Point.
Gumboot chiton on a rocky marine surface near Greene Point.
What to look for:
Despite the name, most of the animal's eight shell plates are hidden beneath a thick, leathery mantle. Look for a very large oval chiton, often reddish-brown, brick-coloured or mottled, gripping tightly to rock. The rough mantle can make it look more like a strange marine slug than a typical shelled mollusc.
Why It Matters Here:
Repeated observations help move the field guide beyond a collection of one-time encounters. Gumboot chitons show that the rocky intertidal and shallow subtidal zone supports a persistent grazing community living at the shifting boundary between land and sea.
Field Record
Documented at Greene Point through field observations and photographs recorded on iNaturalist.