West Indian Fuzzy Chiton (Acanthopleura granulata)

The West Indian Fuzzy Chiton mainly lives from southern Florida to Panama, including Mexico and the West Indies. It thrives on high-intertidal rocks, enduring harsh and variable conditions.

This type of mollusk doesn't grow beyond 2.8 inches in length. Spiky and banded with various hues of black, its girdle encloses the creature's plates, acting as an exterior armor.

Now, the shell of chitons typically comprises eight distinct plates. The West Indian Fuzzy Chiton, though, presents an anomaly. It boasts a fifth valve, split into two symmetrical halves. These halves function independently from the other, separated by a griddle-like tissue.