(Acanthopleura vaillantii)
Chitons are an old class of animals, living in oceans all over the world. They prefer rocks and coral rubble. They are very hardy animals and often live in flat water and in areas where there are large differences in tide. Their body is very flat and the cling to the rock (try to pry them off!).
This photo was taken on a snorkeling trip I organized to a very flat area with mangrove trees. This trip was very interesting, we saw special nudibranchs, some juvenile fishes, a seahare, several dragonets and even a brown seasnake which was hunting among the roots of the mangroves.
Ask Henry or Bobet from Sea Explorers in Cabilao (homepage) to organize a similar trip for you.
Mangrove dive on Sandigan island, Bohol, Philippines, February 2001
Taken with a Sea and Sea Motomarine II EX , 1:2, F 22
. Copyright Teresa Zubi