Sluglike shelled creature from South Africa

March 13, 2006
From: D. Ahomed

While on vacation in Capetown, South Africa, I came across this Slug-like shelled sea creature. Can anyone tell me what is is?

Locality: Kalk Bay Beach, 1 ft., Capetown, South Africa, Indian Ocean, December 2005, rocky area of beach water, no sand near. Length: 8". Photographer: Dawn.

Dawn Ahomed

theahomeds@comcast.net

Ahomed, D., 2006 (Mar 13) Sluglike shelled creature from South Africa. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/16073

Dear Dawn,
Living in Sydney I would say it looks like our Opera House from a funny angle. However the southern tip of South Africa is famous for the large variety of chitons that are found there. Chitons are a special group of molluscs [snails, clams, octopus etc] which have 8 shell plates, usually held together by a leathery strap or girdle which you can see in your photo.
Best wishes,
Bill Rudman

Rudman, W.B., 2006 (Mar 13). Comment on Sluglike shelled creature from South Africa by D. Ahomed. [Message in] Sea Slug Forum. Australian Museum, Sydney. Available from http://www.seaslugforum.net/find/16073

Related messages

  1. Strange thing in my tank
    From: Brandon Buys, March 3, 2010
  2. A slug-like chiton
    From: John Markby, November 13, 2009
  3. Dorid-like chiton from Moss Beach, California
    From: John Albers-Mead, December 18, 2006
  4. Some type of sea slug?
    From: Chris Fourness, July 8, 2006
  5. Re: Sluglike shelled creature from South Africa
    From: Dawn Ahomed, March 15, 2006
  6. Unidentified Canadian Sea Slug?
    From: Jess Trueman, January 14, 2004
  7. Slug? on live rock
    From: Manuel Marquez, January 9, 2004
  8. Mystery from Washington State, USA
    From: Julie, November 14, 2003
  9. Re: Chiton or slug?
    From: Frans Slieker, January 29, 2003
  10. Alien in my tank
    From: Anders Olausson, January 15, 2003
  11. Chiton or slug?
    From: Dee Ryden, November 27, 2002
  12. Re: A Californian mystery
    From: Rebecca Johnson, December 11, 1998
  13. Re: A Californian mystery
    From: Peter Firminger, December 11, 1998
  14. A Californian mystery
    From: JM, December 1, 1998

Show factsheet and all related messages