Say hello to Leptochiton cascadiensis, or, the Chiton!
Scientist Julia Sigwart, a longtime supporter and enthusiast of Cascadia, discovered this new species in Friday Harbor, WA (though they live on the coasts of British Columbia, Washington, and Oregon, too!)
She writes, "Chitons are marine animals with eight overlapping shells. They are small but mighty -- they have metal teeth! This new species lives underneath rocks, and they have very particular needs, so they live in little colonies in very small spaces and never go very far during their lifetime." (classic Cascadians..)
Photo by Julia Sigwart
Sigwart tells us that the 'etymology' in her paper explains the name for the newly discovered species:
"“From Cascadia”, in reference to the biogeographical region and possible proposed country that constitutes the range of this species."
To read more about Julia, her research, and this newly identified member of the Cascadian family, click here!
Thanks for the share, Julia, and nice to meet you, little Chiton!