What the fuck is this thing. I found a bunch of them dead or dieing on the beach of Monterey CA during low tide.
This one next to the starfish was alive. It's on it's back in the pick. It's back looks like a redish rock.
What is this animal that sucks at living?
>>2109652
Chiton? Do you have a pic of the top
>>2109663
Ok OP after some searching I would guess it's a gumboot chiton, idk why all the dying though, if you really want to you can look up a recent tide chart for your area and maybe there have been some extreme tides that left the chitons deserted or washed them away. That's my best guess
-marine biologist (mammals, not molluscs)
>>2109663
Gumboot chiton it is
>>2109668
I haven't noticed any strange tidal activity but I am new to the monterey area and it is storm season.
Wow, gotta admit, I've never even heard of these before.
I've been reading up on them, and it's fascinating. Apparently they have thousands of tiny organs that act as a dispersed compound eye. Also they have magnetite "teeth".
Fascinating.
it appears to be a squashed hot dog bun
