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Genus Cryptoplax Blainville, 1818 Type species. Chiton larvaeformis Burrow, 1815, by subsequent designation (Gray 1821: 234). Remarks. Cryptoplax occurs in tropical and subtropical waters of the Indo-Pacific. The genus extends back to the Miocene of Italy and Paratethys (Dell���Angelo et al. 2016; Dulai 2005), Indonesia, Fiji (Schwabe et al. 2008) and West Pacific Islands (Ladd 1966)., Published as part of Dell'Angelo, Bruno, Landau, Bernard M., Sosso, Maurizio & Taviani, Marco, 2020, Late Pleistocene Red Sea Mollusca: 1. Polyplacophora, pp. 401-449 in Zootaxa 4772 (3) on page 437, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4772.3.1, http://zenodo.org/record/3819654, {"references":["Blainville, H. M. D. de (1818) Cryptoplax. In: Cuvier, F. (Ed.), Dictionnaire des Sciences Naturelles. Vol. 12. F. G. Levrault, Strasbourg and Le Normant, Paris, pp. 124.","Burrow, E. J. (1815) Elements of Conchology, according to the Linnean System. J. Duncan, London, xix + 245 pp., 28 pls. https: // doi. org / 10.5962 / bhl. title. 11498","Gray, J. E. (1821) A natural arrangement of Mollusca, according to their internal structure. The London Medical Repository, 15, 229 - 239.","Dell'Angelo, B., Giuntelli, P., Sosso, M. & Zunino, M. (2016) Polyplacophora from the Miocene of North Italy. Part 2: Callochitonidae, Chitonidae, Lepidochitonidae, Acanthochitonidae and Cryptoplacidae. Rivista Italiana di Paleontologia e Stratigrafia, 122, 23 - 54.","Dulai, A. (2005) Badenian (Middle Miocene) Polyplacophora from the Central Paratethys (Band and Devecser, Bakony Mountains, Hungary). Fragmenta Palaeontologica Hungarica, 23, 29 - 50.","Schwabe, E., Sirenko, B. I. & Seeto, J. (2008) A checklist of Polyplacophora (Mollusca) from the Fiji Islands. Zootaxa, 1777 (1), 1 - 52. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 1777.1.1","Ladd, H. S. (1966) Chitons and Gastropods (Haliotidae through Adeorbidae) from the western Pacific islands. Geological Survey Professional Paper, 531, 1 - 98, 16 pls. https: // doi. org / 10.3133 / pp 531"]}

Cryptoplax sykesi Thiele, 1909 (Fig. 23) Cryptoplax sp. cf. C. striatus; Sykes 1900, p. 164, figs 2���5. Cryptoplax striatus; Sykes 1907, p. 33. Cryptoplax sykesi Thiele 1909, p. 53, pl.6, figs 83���86 (nom. nov. x Cryptoplax striatus); Ferreira 1983, p. 287, fig. 33; Strack 1993, p. 27, pl. 5, fig. 9; Kilias 1995, p. 169; Anseeuw & Terryn 2004, p. 16, fig. 55; Dinapoli & Janssen 2009, p. 36, pl. 19a���b; Blatterer 2019, p. 56, pl. 6, fig. 17a-f. Criptoplax (sic) striatus; Selli 1944, p. 6. Cryptoplax erythraeus Selli 1973, p. 260, pl. 11, figs 8���9. Cryptoplax enigmaticus Leloup 1980, p. 7, pl.1, figs 1���2; pl.2, fig.1; Ferreira 1983, p. 289 (fide Ferreira 1983). Non Cryptoplax sykesi; Leloup 1940, p. 9, fig. 3, pl. 2, figs 1���2; Kaas 1986, p. 21, figs 73���81; Dell���Angelo et al. 2004, p. 60, pl. 6, figs 14���15; Dell���Angelo et al. 2010a, p. 32, figs 11M���O. ? (reported as Cryptoplax sykesi without description or figures); Leloup 1952, p. 53; Kaas 1985, p. 333; Kaas 1996, p. 373; Slieker 2000, p. 50, pl.13, fig.31; Ghobashy & Kotb 2002, p. 6. ? (reported as Cryptoplax striatus without description or figures); Leloup 1981, p. 21. Type material. ZMHU, ZMB Moll 102.074 (Fig. 23B). Type locality. Red Sea, ���Gimsah-Bay��� (Kilias 1995). Material examined. Eritrea, Massawa North, Abd-el-Cader (St. 20): 2 tail valves, described and illustrated by Selli (1973: pl. 11, figs 8���9), deposited at MGGC, with the indication ���Massaua E��� on the label (Fig. 23A). Eritrea, Massawa South (St. 21): 2 valves (1 intermediate and 1 tail), Figs 23 C���D (MZB 00930). Jordan, Aqaba, Yamanie (St. 1): 3 intermediate valves (MZB 60269). Saudi Arabia, Gulf of Aqaba (Ash Shaykh Humayd): St. 8: 4 valves (3 intermediate and 1 tail), Figs 23 H���I (MZB 50566); St. 9: 6 valves (5 intermediate and 1 tail) (MZB 60270). Egypt (Hurghada): St. 13: 16 valves (10 intermediate and 6 tail), Figs 23 E���G, 23J���O (BD 231; MZB 50565; RGM.1356863). Maximum width: -/3/ 1.2 mm. Description. Intermediate valves elliptical in shape, more or less elongated, jugal area narrow, smooth, almost rectangular, only slightly reduced near apex, growth lines clearly visible, latero-pleural areas sculptured with 5���6 longitudinal striae of irregular roundish granules starting from apex running parallel to jugal area. Tail valve with mucro situated terminally, not elevated, inconspicuous, jugal area narrow and smooth, almost rectangular, growth lines clearly visible, antemucronal area sculptured like intermediate valves, postmucronal area lacking. Tegmentum surface completely granulated, except for smooth jugal area, granules more irregular, often coalescing into longitudinal riblets, on each side of jugum. Articulamentum strongly developed, intermediate and tail valves with elongate apophyses, slit formula -/0/0. Remarks. The identification of Cryptoplax sykesi has presented some problems in past years. Specimens of Cryptoplax from east Africa were identified at first by Sykes (1900, 1907) as C. striata (Lamarck, 1819), a species originally described from Australian waters. Thiele (1909), based on a specimen from the Red Sea, pointed out specific differences in the shape of the tail valve, the jugal area and girdle elements, and proposed the name C. sykesi for his and Sykes��� (1907) specimens. Thiele (1909) described the sculpture of the latero-pleural areas as clearly granulose (��� The jugal field is smooth, the lateral fields with granules, which are more or less orientated in longitudinal lines ���), even if this is not evident in his figures (Thiele 1909: figs 83���85, the sculpture seems more as longitudinal riblets than granulose), however the granulose sculpture is confirmed by the figure of the fourth valve of the lectotype deposited at ZMHU (Fig. 23B). Subsequently, some authors have described and illustrated specimens identified as Cryptoplax sykesi with a sculpture of the latero-pleural areas characterised by longitudinal riblets, broken up into granules only near the apex area, e.g. Leloup (1940: 9, fig. 3, pl. 2, figs 1���2) for specimens from Vietnam; Kaas (1986: 21, figs 73���81) and Dell���Angelo et al. (2004: 60, pl. 6, figs 14���15) for specimens from Madagascar; Dell���Angelo et al. (2010b: 32, figs 11M���O) for specimens from the Maldive Islands. These specimens might represent a distinct species (H. Saito, pers. com.) for which the correct identification needs further study, which is beyond the scope of this work. The two valves from Massawa reported by Selli (1973) as Cryptoplax sykesi clearly show a granulose sculpture. Selli described the two valves as intermediate [but some lines below: ��� Quasi certamente rappresentano le valve 7 e 8 ��� (Almost certainly they represent the valves vii and viii)]. On further examination, they are two tail valves, as can be seen by the different structure of the articulamentum (e.g. see the lateral view of an intermediate and tail valves of Cryptoplax weinlandi ��ulc, 1934 from the Miocene of North Italy in Dell���Angelo et al. 2016: pl. 7, figs 20, 23, respectively). Selli (1973) thought that his valves with a granulose sculpture could be different from those of Cryptoplax sykesi with longitudinal riblets, and therefore proposed (in note) the name Cryptoplax erythraeus n. sp. for his valves. Since the attribution of Selli���s (1973) material to Cryptoplax sykesi is correct, the taxon Cryptoplax erythraeus must be considered a subjective synonym. Selli���s material comes from the site of ���Massawa Nord��� (Abd-el-Cader peninsula, about. 2 km North of Massawa), and is stored at MGGC, but with the museum label states ���Massaua E��� (Fig. 23D). The available material consists of two valves in poor conditions of preservation (intermediate and tail) from the Agip expedition (ex Selli 1973) from ���Massawa South��� (near the lighthouse in the eastern part of the islet on which stands the city of Massawa). In the study material at hand, the striae of granules are variable, with the granules more regular in some valves (Figs 23H, J) or coalescent in some tracts, giving the impression of riblets (Fig. 23 E���G). This sculpture is similar to that of Cryptoplax enigmaticus Leloup, 1980, a species described from the Red Sea (Israel, Eilat) (see Leloup 1980: pl. 1, fig. 1). This species was discussed by Ferreira (1983: 289), who considered the specimens to be juvenile specimens of C. sykesi. The valves of Cryptoplax sykesi resemble those of Choneplax indica in many respects, but complete living specimens of both species are easily separable. However, it is more difficult to separate single valves (see above, under the discussion of Choneplax indica). Distribution. Late Pleistocene: Eritrea, Massawa North (Abd-el-Cader), and Massawa South; Jordan, Aqaba (Yamanie); Saudi Arabia, Gulf of Aqaba (Ash Shaykh Humayd: this study); Egypt, (Hurghada) (Selli 1944, 1973; this study). Present-day: Western Indian Ocean from the northern Red Sea to South Africa, Yemen and Socotra Island (Strack 1993; Dinapoli & Janssen 2009; Blatterer 2019)., Published as part of Dell'Angelo, Bruno, Landau, Bernard M., Sosso, Maurizio & Taviani, Marco, 2020, Late Pleistocene Red Sea Mollusca: 1. Polyplacophora, pp. 401-449 in Zootaxa 4772 (3) on pages 437-439, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4772.3.1, http://zenodo.org/record/3819654, {"references":["Thiele, J. (1909) Revision des Systems der Chitonen. Zoologica, 22, 1 - 132, pls. 1 - 10. https: // doi. org / 10.5962 / bhl. title. 11245","Sykes, E. R. (1900) Malacological Notes. 2. On the occurrence of Cryptoplax in South Africa. The Journal of Malacology, 7, 164 - 165.","Sykes, E. R. (1907) Reports on the marine biology of the Sudanese Red Sea. 5. On the Polyplacophora or chitons. Journal of the Linnean Society of London, 31, 31 - 34. https: // doi. org / 10.1111 / j. 1096 - 3642.1907. tb 00450. x","Ferreira, A. J. (1983) Researches on the coast of Somalia. The chiton fauna (Mollusca Polyplacophora). Monitore Zoologico Italiano, 9, 249 - 297. https: // doi. org / 10.1080 / 00269786.1983.11758574","Strack, H. L. (1993) The Polyplacophora of the Red Sea. Journal of the Malacological Society of Australia, 14, 1 - 40. https: // doi. org / 10.1080 / 00852988.1993.11923901","Kilias, R. (1995) Polyplacophora-Typen und - Typoide (Mollusca) im Zoologischen Museum in Berlin. Mitteilungen aus dem Zoologischen Museum in Berlin, 71, 155 - 170. https: // doi. org / 10.1002 / mmnz. 19950710118","Anseeuw, B. & Terryn, Y. (2004) Intertidal chitons (Mollusca: Polyplacophora) from the coast of Jordan, Red Sea, with the description of a new species of Parachiton Thiele, 1909. Bollettino Malacologico, Supplement 5, 1 - 24.","Dinapoli, A. & Janssen, R. (2009) Polyplacophora (Mollusca) of the Socotra Arcipelago - Systematics and Biogeography. Fauna of Arabia, 24, 1 - 46.","Blatterer, H. (2019) Mollusca of the Dahab region. Oberosterreichisches Landesmuseum, Linz, Austria, 480 pp.","Selli, R. (1944) I caratteri e le affinita delle malacofaune quaternarie del Mar Rosso (nota preliminare). Giornale di Geologia, 17, 3 - 22.","Selli, R. (1973) Molluschi quaternari di Massaua e di Gibuti. In: Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei. Missione Geologica dell'AGIP nella Dancalia meridionale e sugli Altipiani Ararini 1936 - 1938. Vol. IV. Parte Seconda. Documentazione Paleontologica, Roma, pp. 153 - 444, 30 pls.","Leloup, E. (1980) Chitons de la Mer Rouge, du golfe de Suez et de la Mediterranee. Bulletin Institut Royale des Sciences Naturelles de Belgique, 52, 1 - 14, 2 pls.","Leloup, E. (1940) Les Chitons du genre Cryptoplax Blainville, 1818. Bulletin de Musee royal d'Histoire naturelle de Belgique, 16 (33), 1 - 32, pls. 1 - 3.","Kaas, P. (1986) Revision of the chitons (Mollusca: Polyplacophora) from the coral-reefs of Tulear, SW Madagascar, and of the Mascarene Islands. Mesogee, 46, 9 - 23.","Dell'Angelo, B., Bonfitto, A., Sabelli, B. & Taviani, M. (2004) Chitons (Mollusca, Polyplacophora) from bioclastic sands of the Ifaty-Tulear back reefs (Madagascar, Western Indian Ocean). Bollettino Malacologico, Supplment 5, 45 - 62.","Dell'Angelo, B., Gori, S., Baschieri, L. & Bonfitto, A. (2010 a) Chitons (Mollusca, Polyplacophora) from the Maldive islands. Zootaxa, 2673 (1), 1 - 38. https: // doi. org / 10.11646 / zootaxa. 2673.1.1","Leloup, E. (1952) Polyplacophores de l'Ocean Indien et des cotes de l'Indochine francaise. Institut Royale des Sciences Naturelles de Belgique, Memoires, Series 2, 7, 1 - 69, 6 pls.","Kaas, P. (1996) Chitons (Mollusca: Polyplacophora) from the Seychelles with description of a new species. Zoologische Mededelingen, 70, 367 - 375, figs. 1 - 11.","Slieker, F. J. A. (2000) Chitons of the world. An illustrated synopsis of recent Polyplacophora. L'Informatore Piceno Ed., Ancona, 154 pp.","Ghobashy, A. F. A. & Kotb, M. M. A. (2002) Review of the biological aspects of the Red Sea. Biologia Marina Mediterranea, 8 (2001), 1 - 14.","Leloup, E. (1981) Chitons de Tulear, Reunion, Maurice et Tahiti. Bulletin Institut Royale des Sciences Naturelles de Belgique, 53, 1 - 46, 4 pls.","Lamarck, J. B. P. A. de M. (1819) Histoire naturelle des animaux sans vertebres, presentant des characters generaux et particuliers de ces animaux, leur distribution, leurs classes, leurs familles, leurs genres, ret la citation des principales especes qui s'y rapportent, precedee dune introduction offrant la determination des caracteres essentiels de l'animal, sa distinction du vegetal et des autres corps naturels; enfin, l'exposition des principes fondamentaux de la zoologie. 6 (1). J. B. Bailliere, Paris, 343 pp.","Dell'Angelo, B., Sabelli, B., Taviani, M. & Bonfitto, A. (2010 b) New data on the Polyplacophora of Madagascar (Western Indian Ocean) (Mollusca: Polyplacophora). Archiv fur Molluskenkunde, 139, 35 - 43. https: // doi. org / 10.1127 / arch. moll / 1869 - 0963 / 139 / 035 - 043","Sulc, J. (1934) Studien uber die fossilen Chitonen. I. Die fossilen Chitonen im Neogen des Wiener Beckens und der angrenzenden Gebiete. Annalen des Naturhistorischen Museums in Wien, 47, 1 - 31, pls. 1 - 2.","Dell'Angelo, B., Giuntelli, P., Sosso, M. & Zunino, M. (2016) Polyplacophora from the Miocene of North Italy. Part 2: Callochitonidae, Chitonidae, Lepidochitonidae, Acanthochitonidae and Cryptoplacidae. Rivista Italiana di Paleontologia e Stratigrafia, 122, 23 - 54."]}

Cryptoplax oculata (Quoy et Gaimard, 1835) (Fig. 4G) Chiton oculatus Quoy & Gaimard 1835: 410, pl. 73, figs 37–38. Cryptoplax oculatus; Haddon 1886: 41, 42, pl. 1, fig. 10, pl. III, figs 10 a– 10 m; Pilsbry 1893: 55 –56, figs 1–5; Nierstrasz 1905: 74, 75, Taf. II, fig. 28, Taf. VI, figs 151–153; Ang 1967: 432 –435, pl. XX, figs 1–6, pl. XXI, figs 1–6; Schwabe 2007: 149 –153, figs 4 B, D, 5 B, D, F, 6 B, D, 7, 8 (reinstatement). Cryptoplax larvaeformis; Leloup 1940: 25 –30, fig. 8, pl. III, fig. 1; 1952: 53; Dawydoff 1952: 113; Kaas & Van Belle 1998: 134; Saito 2001: 23, fig. 3; Strack 2003: 15 (part., non Chiton larvaeformis Burrow, 1815) Cryptoplax oculata; Huang & Xu 1964: 6; Ma 2004: 4, pl. 1, fig. I; Xu 2008: 458; Sirenko 2012: 104, pls. 15 D, E; 16 B; figs 37, 38; Saito 2017: 55, 738, pl. 11, fig. 5. Type material. Neotype (ZSM Mol 20062203), designated by Schwabe (2007). Type locality. Indonesia, Irian Jaya, North side of Jeftsiep Island (0°21’51’’N, 130°17’46.8’’E), 2–3 m depth. Material examined. South China Sea, Xisha Islands, 57–419, 1 spm, BL 32.0 mm, 09.041957; Hainan, Luhuitou, dead corals, intertidal, 1 spm, BL 51.5 mm, 25.03.1958, leg. O. Scarlato; Xincun, corals, 1 spm, BL 30.0 mm, 18.04.1958; Sanya, corals, 1 spm, BL 33.0 mm, 31.04.1958. Xinying, rocks, intertidal, 1 spm, BL 62.0 mm, 10.05.1958. Distribution. The species is distributed in the South China Sea along coast of Vietnam from Phu Quy Island to Dat Island, near Hainan and Xisha Islands, near Okinawa Islands, Indonesia and Philippines from intertidal zone up to 8.0 m depth. Remarks. Since Kaas & Van Belle (1980), this species had been considered as junior synonym of C. larvaeformis until Schwabe (2007) designated a neotype and published a detailed redescription of C. oculata. The latter species can easily be distinguished from C. larvaeformis and other species of the genus Cryptoplax by having a black ring of spicules around the first three valves., Published as part of Sirenko, Boris I. & Zhang, Junlong, 2019, Chitons (Mollusca: Polyplacophora) of Hainan Island and vicinity, South China Sea, pp. 1-40 in Zootaxa 4564 (1) on pages 33-34, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4564.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/2588445, {"references":["Quoy, J. R. C. & Gaimard, J. P. (1835) Voyage de decouvertes de l' \" Astrolabe \". Execute par ordre du Roi, pendant les annees 1826 - 1827 - 1828 - 1829, sous le commandement de M. J. Dumont d'Urville. Zoologie 3, Mollusques, Genre Oscabrion, Paris, 369 - 411.","Haddon, A. C. (1886) Report on the Polyplacophora collected by H. M. S. \" Challenger \" during the years 1873 - 76. Challenger Reports, 15, 1 - 50.","Pilsbry, H. A. (1893) Polyplacophora. In: Tryon, G. W. (Ed.), Manual of Conchology. Vol. 15. Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, pp. 1 - 64. pls. 1 - 10.","Nierstrasz, H. F. (1905) Die Chitonen der Siboga-Expedition. Siboga Expeditie, 48, 1 - 112.","Ang, E. Z. (1967) Loricates of the Philippines. Natural and applied Science Bulletin of the University of the Philippines, 20, 383 - 464.","Schwabe, E. (2007) Taxonomic notes on chitons. 5. On some problematica and a new record of Polyplacophora from Indonesia. (Mollusca). Spixiana, 30, 145 - 158.","Leloup, E. (1940) Les Chitons du genre Cryptoplax Blainville, 1818. Bulletin du Musee Royal d'Histoire Naturelle de Belgique, 16, 1 - 32.","Dawydoff, C. (1952) Contribution a l'etude des invertebres de la fauna marine benthique de l'Indochine. Bulletin biologique de France et de Belgique, XXXVII (Supplement), 106 - 113.","Kaas, P. & Van Belle, R. A. (1998) Catalogue of living chitons (Mollusca, Polyplacophora). 2 nd Revised Edition. Dr. W. Backhuys, Publisher, Leiden, 204 pp.","Strack, H. (2003) Class Polyplacophora. In: Hylleberg, J. & Kilburn, R. N. (Eds.), Tropical Marine Mollusc Programme. Marine Molluscs of Vietnam. Phuket Marine Biological Center Special Publication, 28, pp. 12 - 15.","Burrow, E. I. (1815) Elements of conchology according to the Linnaean system. i-xix, 245 pp. 28 pls.","Huang, X. & Xu, F. (1964) Polyplacophora. In: Zhang, X., Qi, Z., Lou, Z., Huang, X., Ma, X., Liu, Y., Xu, F. (Eds.) Pictorial guide to animals of China. Vol. I. Science Press, Beijing, pp. 5 - 10.","Ma, X. (2004) Polyplacophora. In: Qi, Z. (Ed.), Seashells of China. China Ocean Press, Beijing. pp. 3 - 6.","Xu, F. (2008) Class Polyplacophora Blainville, 1867. In: Liu, R. (Ed.), Checklist of marine biota of China seas, pp. 456 - 459.","Sirenko, B. I. (2012) Chitons (Mollusca, Polyplacophora) of Nha Trang Bay, South Vietnam. In: Britayev, T. A. & Pavlov, D. S. (Eds.), Benthic fauna of the Bay of Nha Trang, South Vietnam. 2. KMK Scientific Press Ltd, Moscow, pp. 56 - 122.","Kaas, P. & Van Belle, R. A. (1980) Catalogue of Living Chitons. W. Backhuys. Rotterdam, 144 pp."]}

Genus Cryptoplax de Blainville, 1818 Type species. Cryptoconchus larvaeformis de Blainville MS, Burrow, 1815, SD Gray 1821. Genus distribution and range. Tropical and subtropical waters of the Indo-Pacific. Paleogene–Recent., Published as part of Sirenko, Boris I. & Zhang, Junlong, 2019, Chitons (Mollusca: Polyplacophora) of Hainan Island and vicinity, South China Sea, pp. 1-40 in Zootaxa 4564 (1) on page 33, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4564.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/2588445, {"references":["Blainville, H. M. D. de (1818) Cryptoplax, In: Curier, F. (Ed.), Dictionnaire des sciences naturelles 12, pp. 124.","Burrow, E. I. (1815) Elements of conchology according to the Linnaean system. i-xix, 245 pp. 28 pls.","Gray, J. E. (1821) A natural arrangement of Mollusca according to their internal structure. London Medical Repository, 15, 221 - 239."]}

Cryptoplax larvaeformis (Burrow, 1815) (Fig. 4F) Chiton larvaeformis Burrow 1815: 179, pl. 28, figs 2–4. Cryptoplax larvaeformis; Haddon 1886: 37, pl. 3, figs 12a– 12m; Pilsbry 1893 –94: 56 (1893), pl. 11, figs 31–36, 40–43 (1894); Huang & Xu 1964: 6; Ang, 1967: 393, 423, pl. 16, figs 1–4; Slieker 2000: 22, 54, pl. 15, figs 12–12a; Schwabe 2001: 27; 2005: 54, pl. 2, fig. 11; 2006b: 20; 2007: 149, figs 3, 4A, C, 5A, C, E, 6A, C; Ma 2004: 4, pl. 2 fig. A; Xu 2008: 458; Schwabe et al. 2008: 29, figs 7E, F (taxonomy and synonymy). Type material. Holotype NHM 1951.1.28.1. Type locality. Unknown. Material examined. South China Sea, Xisha Islands, 57–419, 1 spm, BL 35.0 mm, 12.06.1957. Distribution. Andaman Sea, Xisha Islands, Japan, Philippines, Samoa, New Caledonia and Australia (Schwabe et al. 2008)., Published as part of Sirenko, Boris I. & Zhang, Junlong, 2019, Chitons (Mollusca: Polyplacophora) of Hainan Island and vicinity, South China Sea, pp. 1-40 in Zootaxa 4564 (1) on page 33, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4564.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/2588445, {"references":["Burrow, E. I. (1815) Elements of conchology according to the Linnaean system. i-xix, 245 pp. 28 pls.","Haddon, A. C. (1886) Report on the Polyplacophora collected by H. M. S. \" Challenger \" during the years 1873 - 76. Challenger Reports, 15, 1 - 50.","Pilsbry, H. A. (1893) Polyplacophora. In: Tryon, G. W. (Ed.), Manual of Conchology. Vol. 15. Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, pp. 1 - 64. pls. 1 - 10.","Huang, X. & Xu, F. (1964) Polyplacophora. In: Zhang, X., Qi, Z., Lou, Z., Huang, X., Ma, X., Liu, Y., Xu, F. (Eds.) Pictorial guide to animals of China. Vol. I. Science Press, Beijing, pp. 5 - 10.","Ang, E. Z. (1967) Loricates of the Philippines. Natural and applied Science Bulletin of the University of the Philippines, 20, 383 - 464.","Slieker, F. J. A. (2000) Chitons of the world. An illustrated synopsis of recent Polyplacophora. L'Informatore Piceno Ed., Ancona, vi + 154 pp.","Schwabe, E. (2001) Preliminary review of the Polyplacophora (Mollusca) from the Samoan Archipelago. 4 th International Workshop of Malacology (of Italian Malacological Society). \" Systematics, Phylogeny and Biology of Polyplacophora \", Menfi, 27. [Abstract)]","Ma, X. (2004) Polyplacophora. In: Qi, Z. (Ed.), Seashells of China. China Ocean Press, Beijing. pp. 3 - 6.","Xu, F. (2008) Class Polyplacophora Blainville, 1867. In: Liu, R. (Ed.), Checklist of marine biota of China seas, pp. 456 - 459.","Schwabe, E., Sirenko, B. & Seeto, J. (2008) A checklist of Polyplacophora (Mollusca) from the Fiji islands. Zootaxa, 1777, 1 - 52."]}

Cryptoplax elioti Pilsbry, 1901 Cryptoplax elioti Pilsbry 1901: 153, pl. 14, figs 1–11; Nierstrasz 1906: 150; Thiele 1909: 52, 53, 56; Is. Taki & Iw. Taki 1930: 103; Huang & Xu 1964: 7; Schwabe 2001: 27; Saito 2001: 23, pl. 11, fig. 4; 2004: 98, 101, figs 16E–F; 2017: 55, 738, pl. 11, fig. 8; Ma 2004: 5, pl. 2, fig. B; Xu 2008: 458; Schwabe et al. 2008: 27, figs 6C–E, 7B–D (taxonomy and synonymy). Type material. Holotype ANSP 77308. Type locality. Samoa, Upolu Island, Apia (13°48’S, 171°44’W). Distribution. Samoa, Marshall, New Caledonia islands, Indonesia, Japan, China and Queensland, Australia (Schwabe et al. 2008). Remarks. This species was collected from China for the first time at Xisha Islands (Ma 2004)., Published as part of Sirenko, Boris I. & Zhang, Junlong, 2019, Chitons (Mollusca: Polyplacophora) of Hainan Island and vicinity, South China Sea, pp. 1-40 in Zootaxa 4564 (1) on page 33, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4564.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/2588445, {"references":["Pilsbry, H. A. (1901) New Mollusca from Japan, the Loo Choo Islands, Formosa and the Philippines. Proceedings of the Academy of Natural Sciences of Philadelphia, 53, 193 - 210.","Nierstrasz, H. F. (1906) Remarks on the Chitonidae. Tijdschrift der Nederlandsche Dierkundige Vereeniging, 10, 141 - 171.","Thiele, J. (1909) Revision des Systems der Chitonen. Teil. 1. Zoologica, 22, 1 - 132, figs. A-E, pls. 1 - 10.","Taki, Is. & Taki, Iw. (1930) Studies on Japanese Chitons (4). Venus, 2, 99 - 107.","Huang, X. & Xu, F. (1964) Polyplacophora. In: Zhang, X., Qi, Z., Lou, Z., Huang, X., Ma, X., Liu, Y., Xu, F. (Eds.) Pictorial guide to animals of China. Vol. I. Science Press, Beijing, pp. 5 - 10.","Schwabe, E. (2001) Preliminary review of the Polyplacophora (Mollusca) from the Samoan Archipelago. 4 th International Workshop of Malacology (of Italian Malacological Society). \" Systematics, Phylogeny and Biology of Polyplacophora \", Menfi, 27. [Abstract)]","Ma, X. (2004) Polyplacophora. In: Qi, Z. (Ed.), Seashells of China. China Ocean Press, Beijing. pp. 3 - 6.","Xu, F. (2008) Class Polyplacophora Blainville, 1867. In: Liu, R. (Ed.), Checklist of marine biota of China seas, pp. 456 - 459.","Schwabe, E., Sirenko, B. & Seeto, J. (2008) A checklist of Polyplacophora (Mollusca) from the Fiji islands. Zootaxa, 1777, 1 - 52."]}

Genus Cryptoplax de Blainville, 1818 Type species. Chiton larvaeformis de Blainville MS, Burrow, 1815, by subsequent designation (Gray 1821). Diagnosis. Medium to large, vermiform chitons. Valves greatly reduced, often separated from each other in valves V to VIII. Tegmentum small, with usually well defined, narrow jugum; lateral and pleural areas hardly separable. Articulamentum small; sutural laminae convex in antero-lateral edge in tail valve; insertion plates usually large on head valve, short on other valves; slit formula 3/0/0. Girdle fleshy, densely spiculose; sutural tufts always present, but not prominent. Radula teeth arranged symmetrically; central tooth symmetrical (rarely asymmetrical), small, thick, concave in the distal half, keeled near base; first lateral (centro-lateral) tooth with thickened, nodulous antero-dorsal corner; major lateral tooth with tricuspid head which denticles are short and nearly equal in length (radula characters: after Saito 2004 with modification)., Published as part of Sirenko, Boris I. & Saito, Hiroshi, 2017, New species of chitons of the superfamily Cryptoplacoidea (Mollusca: Polyplacophora) from Vietnamese waters, pp. 451-506 in Zootaxa 4299 (4) on page 495, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4299.4.1, http://zenodo.org/record/836971

Cryptoplax burrowi (E. A. Smith, 1884) Figs 39���42, 44 G Chiton (Chitonellus) burrowi E. A. Smith 1884: 85. Cryptoplax burrowi: Sykes 1907: 33; Iredale & Hull 1927: 96, pl. 11, figs13, 31, 32; Leloup 1940b: 15, fig. 5, pl. 3, fig. 3; Kaas 1979: 877; Kaas & Van Belle 1980: 20; 1998: 36; Kaas et al. 1998: 189; Slieker 2000: 54, pl. 15, fig. 11; Gowlett-Holmes 2001: 46; Schwabe 2005: 54, pl. 2, fig. 12; Burghardt et al. 2006: 30; Strack 2003: 15; Dell���Angelo et al. 2010: 26, figs 11A���L, 12R���X, 13O���R, 14B���C. Type material. Syntypes, BMNH 1881.11.1.100 (1 spm) and BMNH 1992053 (4 spms). Type locality. Port Molle, northern Queensland, Australia. Material examined. South China Sea, Macclesfield Bank, 15��30��N, 114 �� 51��E, 21 m, 1 spm, BL 29 mm, 1982, leg. V. Mjasnikov. Description. Animal medium in size, vermicular. Anterior four valves in contact, remaining valves separated from each other. Valves V and VI apparently smaller than other valves. Color of tegmentum light brown in valve I, brownish orange in remaining valves. Girdle light brown with irregular patches of brown, light greenish gray and white. Head valve bell-shaped, slightly longer than wide, wider than other valves; anterior slope convex. Intermediate valves small, oblong; valves V and VI apparently smaller than other valves. Jugum narrow wedge-shaped in valves II and III, very narrow, almost parallel-sided in valves IV���VIII. Tail valve with low mucro at posterior end. Tegmentum sculptured with pustules which are irregularly fused with each other peripherally in head valve, with 3���4 ribs which are slightly radiating from the apex in remaining valves; interspaces between ribs narrow. Jugum and ribs on lateropleural area convex at top. Macraesthete pores rather sparsely distributed, quincuncially arranged on jugum, also sparsely distributed along midline on ribs of lateropleural area. Articulamentum thick, yellow in apophyses and light-brown in middle part of valves. Apophyses narrow, moderately projected anteriorly in valves II���VI, rather short in valves VII and VIII. Insertion plate moderate in length; posterior end of insertion plate only slightly expanded posteriorly in valve VIII. Slits rather wide and short. Slit formula 3/0/0. Girdle moderate in width. Dorsal side of girdle beset with minute slightly curved, strongly grooved, clubshaped spicules, up to 77 ��m x 26 ��m, intermingling with large flattened, finely grooved spicules, attaining 233 ��m x 68 ��m and slender, parallel sided, finely grooved needles. Sutural tufts of up to 5 slightly curved, smooth blunt tipped needles, up to 610 ��m x 45 ��m. Marginal needles similar to those of sutural tufts, but often with several fine grooves, up to 418 ��m x 22 ��m. Ventral spicules flat, with 5���7 strong ribs on both surface, measuring 75���84 ��m x 12���18 ��m. Gills extending from beginning of valve VIII to valve VII, composed of 10 ctenidia on each side. Radula 4.6 mm long with 24 transverse rows of mature teeth. Central tooth small, deeply concave at upper half which is wider than the basal half, bluntly pointed at blade, strongly keeled near the base. First lateral (centrolateral) tooth with nodulous antero-dorsal corner and notch underneath nodulous portion. Major lateral tooth with tricuspid cup; denticles blunt at tip and about equal length. Distribution. Queensland, Australia; Sulawesi, Lombok, Damar and Banda Islands, Indonesia; Sulu Archipelago, Philippines; Macclesfield Bank, South China Sea; Christmas Island; Wassin Island, Kenya, East Africa and Maldive Islands. Remarks. The present species is characterized by the small valves V���VII which are distinctly smaller than other valves, the large flattened, finely grooved dorsal girdle spicules and the curved, finely grooved marginal spicules. The greenish coloration of the perinotum, which was described in the original description (E. A. Smith 1884), appears to be another characteristic feature of this species, but we need to examine more specimens to confirm it. This is the second record of the species on Macclesfield Bank. The first was mentioned in Leloup (1940b)., Published as part of Sirenko, Boris I. & Saito, Hiroshi, 2017, New species of chitons of the superfamily Cryptoplacoidea (Mollusca: Polyplacophora) from Vietnamese waters, pp. 451-506 in Zootaxa 4299 (4) on pages 497-499, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.4299.4.1, http://zenodo.org/record/836971

Twelve species of the polyplacophoran genera Notoplax, Leptoplax , Acanthochitona and Cryptoplax (Chitonida: Acanthochitonina: Cryptoplacoidea) were found in Vietnamese waters for the first time. Five of them, namely Notoplax conica, Leptoplax doederleini , Leptoplax richardi n. comb., Acanthochitona achates and A. biformis, are new to Vietnamese fauna. The remaining seven species are new to science, namely: Notoplax odysseyi n. sp., Leptoplax nhatrangi n. sp., L. tongkingi n. sp., Acanthochitona condaoi n. sp., A. lanae n. sp., A. nigra n. sp. and A.ostreaphila n. sp. Leptoplax richardi n. comb. was transferred from the original genus Notoplax based on the redefinition of the genus given herein. We confirmed the occurrences of 21 species of the superfamily Cryptoplacoidea in the Vietnamese fauna, which makes them the richest group of chitons in Vietnamese waters. A peculiar feature, a comb-like blade in the major uncinal teeth of the radula is found in two new species, L. tongkingi n. sp. and A. ostreaphila n. sp. A similar feature is known only in two other distinct groups: the genus Ferreiraella of the family Ferreiraellidae of the order Lepidopleurida and the genera Tonicella and Boreochiton of the family Tonicellidae of the order Chitonida. This is the first report of this feature other than those two groups.

This paper focuses on five species of Polyplacophora (Mollusca) collected from Lavanono, southern Madagascar. Ischnochiton sirenkoi is described as a new species and is compared with the two Ischnochiton species known from Madagascar, I. yerburyi (E.A. Smith, 1891) and I. sansibarensis Thiele, 1909, and with all known Indian Ocean Ischnochiton species. Findings for the other species here discussed provide a significant extension of previously known geographical range. Chaetopleura chelazziana Ferreira, 1983 is reported for the first time in the chiton fauna of Madagascar. The taxonomic status of Callistochiton ashbyi (Barnard, 1963), previously considered a synonym of C. crosslandi Sykes, 1907, is discussed. This taxon, which was described from a unique intermediate valve from South Africa, is re-evaluated and recognized as a valid species, differing from C. crosslandi in several significant characters. We also present an unusual feature detected in almost all the specimens of Cryptoplax dupuisi Ashby, 1931, which are characterized by the absence of dorsal girdle spicules on the first four valves, a feature never reported in other chiton species. Type material of Callistochiton madagassicus Thiele, 1909, Chiton ashbyi (Barnard, 1963) is figured.

The spatial and temporal patterns of abundance of 8 species of chiton found under boulders were documented at sites in the mid- and low-shore regions of an extensive boulder-field in the Long Reef Aquatic Reserve. The mean number of species and mean densities of Ischnochiton australis (Sowerby , 1840), Ischnochiton elongates (Blainville, 1825), Ischnochiton versicolor (Sowerby, 1840), Cryptoplax mystica (Iredale & Hull , 1925), Callistochiton antiquus (Reeve, 1847), Ischnochiton smaragdinus (Angus, 1894) and Acanthochiton spp. did not vary through time during the 6 month study, conducted over the autumn and winter months. However, their abundances varied at small (areas 3 m apart) and large (sites 60 m apart) spatial scales in the mid- and low-shore regions. Abundances ranged between 0 and 28 individuals 1000 cm-2 of boulder surface over the study period. Relationships between the abundances, sizes and numbers of species and the size of the boulder and/or the underlying sediments were rare, contr...

Notes are given on nine chiton species, collected mainly during the 'Oceanic Reefs' Expedition to the Seychelles (1992-1993), with some biogeographical observations. Ischnochiton goudi (family Ischnochitonidae) is described as a new species.

Cryptoplax sykesi Thiele, 1909 (Figures 11M–O) Cryptoplax sykesi Thiele 1909: 54, pl. 6, figs 83–86; Leloup 1940: 9, fig. 3, pl. 2; Ghobashy & Kotb 2002: 6; Anseeuw & Terryn 2004: 16, fig. 55; Dell’Angelo et al. 2004: 60, pl. 6, figs 14–15 (bibliography and synonymy). Type: unascertained (fide Ferreira 1983: 287). Type locality: Red Sea, “Gimsah-Bai”. Material examined: M13: 1 intermediate valve; M20: 2 intermediate valves; M65: 2 intermediate valves; MLD02A: 2 intermediate valves; LB04: 1 intermediate valve; LB05: 21 valves (20 intermediate and 1 tail). Remarks: Detailed descriptions of this species are given by Leloup (1940) and Ferreira (1983). We attribute our valves to Cryptoplax sykesi on the basis of the smooth jugal area and the sculpture of the lateropleural area, with 5–6 longitudinal riblets, some broken up in granules near the apex (Fig. 11O). Our material match with the valves found in Madagascar (compare pl. 6, Figs 14 –15 in Dell’Angelo et al. 2004), only the Maldive intermediate valves seem more elevated than the Madagascar ones. This is the first report of this species from the Maldive Islands. Distribution: Cryptoplax sykesi is an intertidal to shallow sublittoral species, widespread in the western Indian Ocean. It is known from the Red Sea, Somalia, Tanzania, Mozambique, Natal, Amirante Islands, Geyser Bank (North of Mozambique Channel), Madagascar and the Maldive Islands., Published as part of Dell'Angelo, Bruno, Gori, Sandro, Baschieri, Leonardo & Bonfitto, Antonio, 2010, Chitons (Mollusca, Polyplacophora) from the Maldive islands, pp. 1-38 in Zootaxa 2673 (1) on page 32, DOI: 10.11646/zootaxa.2673.1.1, http://zenodo.org/record/5304551, {"references":["Thiele, J. (1909) Revision des Systems der Chitonen. Zoologica, 22, 1 - 132, pls 1 - 10.","Leloup, E. (1940) Les Chitons du genre Cryptoplax Blainville, 1818. Bulletin du Musee royal d'Histoire naturelle de Belgique, 16 (33), 1 - 32, pls 1 - 3.","Ghobashy, A. F. A. & Kotb, M. M. A. (2002) Review of the biological aspects of the Red Sea. Biologia Marina Mediterranea, 8 (2001), 1 - 14.","Anseeuw, B. & Terryn, Y. (2004) Intertidal chitons (Mollusca: Polyplacophora) from the coast of Jordan, Red Sea, with the description of a new species of Parachiton Thiele, 1909. Bollettino Malacologico, suppl. 5 (2003), 1 - 24.","Ferreira, A. J. (1983) Researches on the coast of Somalia. The chiton fauna (Mollusca Polyplacophora). Monitore Zoologico italiano, 9, 249 - 297."]}

This paper is the first comprehensive and illustrated account of living Polyplacophora from the Maldive Islands. The only important previous contribution is that of E.A. Smith (1903), describing eight species. We determined 15 species sourced from 24 sampling sites, mainly at a depth of 20–40 meters, represented by 19 living specimens and 1112 valves. Only nine species (Parachiton hylkiae mauricejayi, Ischnochiton albinus, Ischnochiton sp., Rhyssoplax maldivensis, Tegulaplax hululensis, Lucilina sp., Acanthochitona penicillata, Craspedochiton cf. laqueatus, Cryptoplax burrowi) are represented by living specimens, the others by separate valves (Callochiton clausadeae, Lucilina perligera, L. carnosa, Acanthochitona sp., Craspedochiton sp., Cryptoplax sykesi), three of them (Lucilina perligera, Acanthochitona sp., Craspedochiton sp.) by only one or two valves. We did not find four of the species previously reported for the Maldives, i.e. Ischnochiton feliduensis, Callochiton platessa, Squamopleura miles and Schizochiton incisus. The specimen collected by J.S. Gardiner, and reported in Smith (1903) as Callochiton platessa Gould, has been studied, and it is not possible to attribute to any of the other Callochiton species from the Indian Ocean. It thus remains undetermined as Callochiton sp., and Callochiton platessa Gould must be deleted from the list of chiton species living in the Maldive Islands. The holotype of Ischnochiton feliduensis (the only specimen known) is illustrated to provide a complete and exhaustive survey of all the 19 chiton species now known from the Maldive Islands. Two species from other localities, Squamopleura miles and Schizochiton incisus, also are illustrated. The type material of Craspedochiton laqueatus and Cryptoplax burrowi has been examined. Eleven species are reported for the first time for the Maldives: Parachiton hylkiae mauricejayi, Ischnochiton albinus, Ischnochiton sp., Callochiton clausadeae, Lucilina perligera, L. carnosa, Lucilina sp., Acanthochitona penicillata, Acanthochitona sp., Craspedochiton sp. and Cryptoplax sykesi.

Cryptoplax mystica is a common inhabitant of the New South Wales mid-north coast. An elongate chiton with reduced shell valves, it is usually found in narrow crevices and holes in sand-sponge aggregates in the lower intertidal zone. A recent examination of some head, intermediate and tail valves revealed a unique ’sense organ’ imbedded in pigmented tissue immediately below the shells dorsal surface. The structure was found to possess features consistent with a photoreceptive and/or balance function, and to display a degree of complexity hitherto undescribed for the Polyplacophora.

Light and scanning electron microscopy are used to investigate the internal structure of the shell valves of Ischnochiton (Ischnoradsia) australis, Acanthopleura gaimardi and Cryptoplax mystica. The shell in all species is comprised of four layers (periostracum, tegmentum, articulamentum, and hypostracum), and is perforated in specific areas by one of three classes of megalaesthete (jugal, slit-ray, and multiple branch). All classes consists of a number of micraesthete channels emanating from the distal region of a single aesthete channel, but differ according to the extent of canal branching. Both aesthete and micraesthete structures terminate at the shell surface in conical caps, while ventrally, a narrow canal extends towards the mantle interface. The gross structural arrangement is probably typical of all chiton species. A possible differentiation of aesthete function between the three types of megalaesthete is discounted in respect of ultrastructural similarities.

CALYPTRAEA ANTIQUA Howse (1848, 1858), based upon a plate from the Permian of England, was included in the Polyplacophora. King (1850) questioned this assignment since Calyptraea is a gastropod. Kirkby (1859) placed C. antiquus (Howse) in the genus Chitonellus Lamarck, 1819 and described two new species from the Permian of England, C. hancockianus and C. distortus. Kirkby and Young (1867) described another taxon, C. subantiquus, from the Carboniferous of Scotland. Branson (1948) questioned the assignment of these species to the Polyplacophora. Smith and Hoare (1987) rejected them from the class. Kirkby also included other specimens in Chitonellus ; these are now assigned to the polyplacophoran Glyptochiton deKoninck, 1883. Geinitz (1861) followed the assignment of Kirkby and recognized three species using Kirkby's (1859) illustrations. Chitonellus and Calyptraea were described by Lamarck (1819) based upon modern taxa. Calyptraea is a gastropod belonging to the family Calyptraeidae and Citonellus is a junior subjective synonym of Cryptoplax, a Tertiary and Recent polyplacophoran (R. A. Van Belle, personal communication, 1999). The specimens described by Howse and Kirkby are definitely not polyplacophorans. This view is based on the shape of the plates, sutural laminae, and spines (Smith and Hoare, …

Cryptoplax larvaeformis (Burrow, 1815) (Figures 7 E, F) Chresonymy in Leloup (1933: 30���32). Chiton larvaeformis Burrow 1815: 179, pl. 28, figs 2���4; Gowlett-Holmes 2001: 46; Schwabe 2007: 149. Cryptoplax larviformis; de Blainvile 1818: 124. Chitonellus laevis Lamarck 1819: 317 (syntype MNHN 6017, type locality: ���Nouvelle Holland ��� [= Australia]); de Blainville 1825: 519; Berge 1847: 113; Fischer 1887: 882; Haddon 1886: 36���38, 41; Lamy 1923: 261; Kaas & Van Belle 1980: 71; 1998: 105; Slieker 2000: 146; Gowlett-Holmes 2001: 46. Chiton chitonellus Sowerby 1822: pl. 139, figs 4���5; Kaas & Van Belle 1980: 26. Chiton eruciformis Sowerby 1822: pl. 139, fig. 5 [nomen nudum]. Chiton chitonellus de Blainville 1825: 550; Haddon 1886: 37; Kaas & Van Belle 1998: 45; Slieker 2000: 141; Gowlett- Holmes 2001: 46. Chiton vermiformis de Blainville 1825: 553 (de Blainville wrote, that he saw two specimens in the NHM, but the first author failed in finding them, type locality:? New Holland [= Australia]); Haddon 1886: 37; Pilsbry 1893: 57; Iredale & Hull 1925: 102; Kaas & Van Belle 1980: 139; 1998: 197; Slieker 2000: 154; Gowlett-Holmes 2001: 46. Chiton fasciatus Quoy & Gaimard 1835 (non Wood, 1815): 408, pl. 73, figs 21���29 (syntype MNHN lost, type locality: Polynesia: Tonga: Ha`apai group [19 �� 48 ���S 174 �� 21 ���W]: Pangai-Modou reef); Berge 1847: 113, pl. 20, fig. 6; Kaas & Van Belle 1980: 46; 1998: 71; Slieker 2000: 143; Gowlett-Holmes 2001: 46. Chitonellus fasciatus; Reeve 1847: pl. 1, fig. & spec. 2 a���b; Dall 1879: 299; van Bemmelen 1882: 95; 1883 a: 1; Tryon 1883: 346, pl. 85, fig. 95; Haddon 1886: 36���38, 41, 48; Thiele 1893: 400, pl. 32, fig. 35; Plate 1897: 270; von Martens 1889: 199; Clessin 1904: 124, pl. 38, figs 1���2. Chiton (Chitonellus) fasciatus; Chenu 1859: 384, fig. 2891; E. A. Smith 1884: 86. Chiton (Chitonellus) larvaeformis; Chenu 1859: 384, fig. 2890; E. A. Smith 1884: 85. Cryptoplax fasciatus; Brazier 1877: 75; Fischer 1887: 883. ? Cryptoplax montanoi de Rochebrune 1882: 190 (one syntype MNHN 6066, Philippines: Sulu Islands [05�� 20 ���N 120 �� 22 ���E]); Haddon 1886: 44; Pilsbry 1893: 58; Thiele 1909 a: 9, 52; Ashby 1922 a: 576, 1923 b: 241; Iredale & Hull 1925: 102; Kaas & Van Belle 1980: 87; 1998: 126; Slieker 2000: 148; Gowlett-Holmes 2001: 47; Schwabe 2007: 153. Cryptoplax peroni de Rochebrune 1882: 193 (holotype MNHN 5985, type locality: ���Nouvelle Holland ��� [= Australia], based on one of the syntypes of Chitonellus laevis Lamarck, 1819); Haddon 1886: 44; Pilsbry 1893: 58; Thiele 1909 a: 52, 56; Lamy 1923: 260; Iredale & Hull 1925: 102; Taki & Taki 1930: 105; Kaas & Van Belle 1980: 98; 1998: 142; Slieker 2000: 149; Gowlett-Holmes 2001: 47. Cryptoplax (Chitonellus) fasciatus; de Rochebrune 1883: 33. Chiton (Chitonellus) eruciformis; E. A. Smith 1884: 86; Haddon 1886: 36. Chiton (Chitonellus) laevis; E. A. Smith 1884: 86. Cryptoplax coronatus de Rochebrune 1884 b: 238 (two syntypes at MNHN 6180, type locality: Polynesia: Tonga [19 �� 20 ���S 174 �� 23 ���W]); Thiele 1909 a: 54; Kaas & Van Belle 1980: 32; 1998: 52; Slieker 2000: 142; Gowlett-Holmes 2001: 47. Cryptoplax larvaeformis; Haddon 1886: 37, pl. 3, figs 12 a��� 12m; Pilsbry 1893 ��� 94: 56 (1893), pl. 11, figs 31���36, 40 ��� 43 (1894); 1901 a: 152, 154, pl. 14, figs 12���16; 1901 b: 204; von Martens 1894: 92; Wettstein 1904: 473���504, pls 10���12; Nierstrasz 1905 a: 73, pl. 6, figs 154���158; 1905 b: 150; Horst & Schepman 1908: 523; Thiele 1909 a: 54 (partim); 1931: 15; Iredale & Hull 1925: 101, pl. 12, figs 5, 10, 17, 25, 28, 35; 1927: 91, pl. 11, figs 5, 10, 17, 25, 28, 35; Ashby 1928: 167; Mackay 1930: 295; Taki & Taki 1930: 103; Bergenhayn 1930 b: 38, pl. 10, figs 91���93; Leloup 1933: 30; 1940: 25, pl. 3, fig. 1, text fig. 8; 1949: 8, 9, fig. 3 C; 1952: 53; Risbec 1946: 130, 134���144, figs 3���6; A. G. Smith 1960: 170, fig 44 1 a���f; Kuroda 1960: 1; Fischer-Piette & Franc 1960: 1718, 1738, 1748, 1754, 1756, 1760, 1761, 1764, 1766, fig. 1556 A; Ang 1967: 393, 423, pl. 16, figs 1���4; Kaas & Van Belle 1980: 72; 1998: 106; Van Belle 1983: 136, pl. 12, fig. 4; Zeidler & Gowlett 1986: 113; Saito 1994: 144; Littler, Littler & Taylor 1995: 1679; Gowlett-Holmes 2001: 46; Higo et al. 1999: 31; Littler & Littler 1999: 158, text fig; Anonymous 2000: 172, text fig; Slieker 2000: 22, 54, pl. 15, figs 12 ��� 12 a; Subba Rao & Dey 2000: 5; Wells 2000: 94; Schwabe 2001: 27; 2005 a: 54, pl. 2, fig. 11; 2006 b: 20; Saito 2001: 23, pl. 11, fig. 3; Xiutong 2004: 4, pl. 2 fig. A; Schwabe & Wanninger 2006: 218, fig. 18.1C; Saito 2006 c: 131; Schwabe 2007: 149, figs 3, 4 A, C, 5 A, C, E, 6 A, C. Chitonellus rostratus (non of Reeve, 1847); Thiele 1893: 400, pl. 32, fig. 38. Chitonellus larvaeformis; Pelseneer 1898: 7, 22, 26, pl. 9, fig. 79; Clessin 1904: 123, pl. 40 (not 41 as reported by him), fig. 2. Cryptoplax lamarcki Thiele 1909 a [nomen nudum, a manuscript name of de Rochebrune, used for the second syntype of Chitonellus laevis Lamarck, 1819): 54; Lamy 1923: 261; Kaas & Van Belle 1980: 71; 1998: 105; Gowlett-Holmes 2001: 47. Cryptoplax laevis; Dupuis 1918: 529; Ashby 1923 b: 239. Cryptoplax (Chitonellus) larvaeformis; Ashby 1922 a: 576. Cryptoplax (Chitonellus) laevis; Ashby 1922 a: 577; 1926: 383. Cryptoplax (Chitonellus) lamarcki; Ashby 1922 a: 577. Cryptoplax laerviformis [sic]; Bergenhayn 1930 b: 54. Chiton cruciformis; Kaas & Van Belle 1980: 34; 1998: 56; Slieker 2000: 142; Gowlett-Holmes 2001: 46. Cryptochiton; Morton & Raj 1981: 84, pl. IV. 8. Cryptoconchus; Morton & Raj 1981: 86. Cryptoconchus [cf.] japonicus; Morton & Raj 1981: 108, pl. IV. 18. Chiton [sp.]; Abrea 1981: 9, figs 1���3. Cryptoplax [sp.]; Coleman 1981: 33 (upper picture). Locus typicus: Unknown. Primary type: Holotype (NHM 1951.1.28.1). Fiji records: Cryptochiton; Morton & Raj 1981: 84, pl. IV. 8. Cryptoconchus; Morton & Raj 1981: 86. Cryptoconchus japonicus (...or a related species); Morton & Raj 1981: 108, pl. IV. 18. Cryptoplax larvaeformis; Haddon 1886: 37, pl. 3, figs 12 a���m; Pilsbry 1893: 56, pl. 11, figs 31���34, 40 ��� 43; Littler & Littler 1999: 158. Material examined: USP Mol 2616: 1 adult spm, main Barrier Reef east of Bulia Island [18 �� 50 'S 178 �� 35 'E], leeward under live coral, USP Kadavu Expedition, leg. J. Browning, 20 July 1970, dry; USP Mol 2660: 1 subadult spm, main Barrier Reef, East of Bulia Island [18 �� 50 'S 178 �� 35 'E], windward under coral, leg. J. Browning, 17 July 1970, wet; USP Mol 2682 6 adult spms, east of Yaukuve Levu Island [18 �� 48 'S 178 �� 31 'E], under exposed coral rock, USP Kadavu Expedition, leg. J. Browning 21 July 1970 (on label 1920), wet; ZISP: 2 juvenile spms, Cicia Island [17 �� 45 ���S 179 �� 18 ���W], Callisto St. 83, 0.3 m, leg. Boris I. Sirenko, 0 6 February 1975, wet; ZISP: 1 adult spm, Tuvutha Island [17 �� 40 ���S 178 �� 48 ���W], Callisto St. 89, 25 m, leg. Boris I. Sirenko, 0 7 February 1975, wet. Habitat: Morton & Raj (1981) wrote that the species might be found in dead coral limestones in the disused shafts of sipunculids and bivalves. The investigated material shows that the habitat is indeed coral skeletal pieces but the species seems to be actively crawling under them also. Noteworthy is that all specimens were collected close to the fringing reefs of the mentioned localities. In accordance with the examined material, this shallow water species seemingly has a preference for the underside of coral skeletal fragments lying in fine sand along reef edges. Distribution: Due to uncertainty in differentiating C. larvaeformis from similar species [e.g., Cryptoplax oculatus (Quoy & Gaimard, 1835), see Schwabe 2007] the exact distribution pattern of this species remains unclear. In the West it is known from the Andaman Sea (Subba Rao & Dey 2000: 5), in the Northeast from Japan (Saito 2001: 23), in the Southeast from Samoa (Pilsbry 1901: 156), and in the South from New Caledonia (Risbec 1946: 134) and Australia (Gowlett-Holmes 2001: 47). Remarks: Littler & Littler (1999) pointed out that the species may modify coralline algae structures due to its feeding activities. Flat and two-dimensional crustose coralline algae of the species Porolithon okodes (Heydrich, 1897) alter their form to three-dimensional honeycomb heads when the chitons graze on them. Recently Saito (2006 c: 131) synonymised Cryptoplax dimidiata Ang, 1967 with the present species, but unfortunately he did not explain this decision. The arguments Ang (1967: 427) gave for separating both species seem constant and sufficient to consider both as distinct species. The characters the author pointed out are for instance 1) a different colouration of the girdle spines, and of the articulamentum (deep red in the anterior region in C. dimidiata, while pinkish in the central part of C. larvaeformis), 2) the different number of valves being in touch (the anterior five in C. dimidiata, compared to four in C. larvaeformis), 3) a different form of the head valve (oblong with flattened base in C. dimidiata, while subtriangular with rounded corners in C. larvaeformis), 4) differences in the length of the incisions (not half the length of the tegmentum in C. dimidiata, but almost as long as the tegmentum in C. larvaeformis), 5) a different orientation of the jugal sinus (diagonal to the surface in C. dimidiata, in C. larvaeformis almost vertical instead). As long as no direct comparisions are possible between the types of both taxa, we do not follow Saito (2006 c)., Published as part of Schwabe, Enrico, Sirenko, Boris I. & Seeto, Johnson, 2008, A checklist of Polyplacophora (Mollusca) from the Fiji islands, pp. 1-52 in Zootaxa 1777 on pages 29-30, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.274284

Cryptoplax elioti Pilsbry, 1901 (Figures 6 C���E, 7 B���D) Cryptoplax elioti Pilsbry 1901 a: 153, pl. 14, figs 1���11; Nierstrasz 1906: 150; Thiele 1909 a: 52, 53, 56; Taki & Taki 1930: 103; Bergenhayn 1930 a: 21; 1930 b: 38; 1933 b: 160; Leloup 1940: 13, fig. 4; Hyman 1967: 71, figs 29 D���E; Kaas & Van Belle 1980: 42; 1998: 66; Johnson 1982: 107; Kilias 1993: 418; Saito 1994: 144; Higo et al. 1999: 31; Schwabe 2001: 27; Saito 2001: 23, pl. 11, fig. 4; 2004: 98, 101, figs 16 E���F. Cryptoplax eleoti [sic]; Nierstrasz 1905 a: 75, pl. 2, figs 29���30, pl. 6, figs 159���161; Tchang Shi et al. 1964: 7, fig; Xiutong 2004: 5; pl. 2, fig. B. Cryptoplax evanescens Cooke 1913: 320, text fig. (eight isolated valves of a syntype NHM 1929.10.28.3, two complete syntypes NHM 1929.10.28.1��� 2, type locality: Polynesia: Tuvalu: Funafuti Atoll [08�� 30 ���S 179 �� 11 ���E] [on the label of syntype 1929.10.28.3 is written ���Funafuti or Ellice Is.���]); Thiele 1929: 15, fig. 8; Taki & Taki 1930: 103; Leloup 1940: 14; Kaas & Van Belle 1980: 44; 1998: 69. Cryptoplax jugosus Bergenhayn 1930 a: 17, pl. 1, figs 1���16 (lectotype SMNH 3750, type locality: Micronesia: Marshall Islands: Jaluit Atoll, S entrance, East beach [designated herein]; three paralectotypes SMNH 0 632, locality: Micronesia: Marshall Islands: Kiribati: Aranuka; one paralectotype SMNH 0 628, locality: Micronesia: Marshall Islands: Jaluit Atoll, lagoon, beach north of the station; three paralectotypes SMNH 0 632, locality: Micronesia: Marshall Islands: Kiribati: Aranuka; one paralectotype SMNH 0 629, locality: Micronesia: Marshall Islands: Jaluit Atoll, reef south west of South east entrance; one paralectotype SMNH 0 627, locality: Polynesia: Tuvalu: Nukufetau Atoll; one paralectotype SMNH 674, locality: Micronesia: Marshall Islands: Jaluit Atoll, near South entrance; one paralectotype SMNH 676, locality: Polynesia: Tuvalu: Nukufetau Atoll; one paralectotype SMNH 673, locality: Micronesia: Marshall Islands: Ebon, north west beach of lagoon; one paralectotype SMNH 675, locality: Micronesia: Marshall Islands: Jaluit Atoll, north of South entrance; three paralectotypes SMNH, locality: Micronesia: Marshall Islands: South entrance, east beach); 1930 b: 38, pl. 10, figs 96���98; 1933 a: 53; 1933 b: 158; Leloup 1940: 14; Kaas & Van Belle 1980: 68; 1998: 101. Cryptoplax larvaeformis (de Blainville MS, Burrow, 1815); Madrigal 1999: 42, fig. Cryptoplax sp.; Risbec 1946: 151, pl. 2, figs 2���4. Locus typicus: Samoa, Upolu Island, Apia [13 �� 48 ���S 171 �� 44 ���W]. Primary type: Holotype (ANSP 77308). Material examined: ZSM Mol 20061619: 1 juvenile spm, Viti Levu, Laucala Bay, west side of the Nukumbutho channel of the fringing reef opposite the USP, 18 �� 10.899 'S 178 �� 27.971 'E, attached to a bottle, embedded in fine coral sand among dead coral blocs, strong currents, about 1 m, leg. Enrico Schwabe, 24 August 2006, wet; ZSM Mol 20061916: 1 juvenile spm, 2 adult spms, Viti Levu, Laucala Bay, reef flat opposite the Suva Harbour at the fringing reef, 18 �� 10.434 'S 178 �� 24.987 'E, at low tide, high amount of living corals, some sandy channels and patches, 1 m, under coral plates, leg. Enrico Schwabe & Michael Schr��dl, 29 August 2006, wet; ZSM Mol 20061633: 1 adult spm, Viti Levu, Laucala Bay, North of Makuluva Island, 18 �� 10.890 'S 178 �� 30.587 'E, dead coral plateau with secondary coral growth, under a limestone, partly embedded in sand, surge exposed, 1���3 m, leg. Enrico Schwabe, 30 August 2006, wet; ZISP: 1 adult spm, Suva [18 ��08'S 178 �� 25 'E] coral reefs, leg. S. Stepanjants, 17 May 1966, wet. Habitat: The species lives on the underside of coral boulders, slightly embedded in sand. Distribution: The species is known from the Samoan Islands (type locality), the Marshall islands, Ellice and Kiribati (Bergenhay 1930, as Cryptoplax jugosus), New Caledonia (Risbec 1946, as Cryptoplax sp.) Indonesia (Nierstrasz 1905 a), Japan (Saito 2001), and the Chinese Sea (Xiutong 2004), the first author also examined a single wet preserved specimen from Queensland (NHM) (first record for Australia). Remarks: This is the first record of this species from Fiji. To our knowledge for the first time a juvenile of this species is illustrated here (Fig. 7 B). Clearly visible is that in juveniles, the valves are still in contact and are not covered by the perinotum. Although the intermediate valves of adults are hardly visible in ethanol preserved specimens, they are practically indiscernible in living specimens and the animal may easily be taken for a wormlike animal. In one of the collected specimens a gastropod that most probably belongs to the Capulidae is attached to the posterior perinotum region (Figs 6 D���E). It is unknown, if the animal is parasitic or in any other way associated with the polyplacophoran. The specimens of Cryptoplax jugosus come from different localities and in his original description Bergenhayn (1930 a) did not choose a distinct specimen as holotype, so all the specimens have to be considered as syntypes. The label of sample number SMNH 3750 is marked to indicate it is the type. Thus we select herewith this specimen as the lectotype, leaving the others as paralectotypes. This makes ��� Micronesia: Marshall Islands: Jaluit Atoll, S entrance, East beach��� the type locality of C. jugosus., Published as part of Schwabe, Enrico, Sirenko, Boris I. & Seeto, Johnson, 2008, A checklist of Polyplacophora (Mollusca) from the Fiji islands, pp. 1-52 in Zootaxa 1777 on pages 27-28, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.274284

Cryptoplax sp. (Figures 8 A, B) Fiji records: Cryptoplax striata; Bergenhayn 1930 a: 23. Remarks: The specimen Bergenhayn mentioned from Fiji, Viti Levu, Namuka [17 ° 59 ’S 178 ° 36 ’E] that was collected at 15 June 1917 during the Sixten Bocks Expedition 1917 – 18 is deposited in the SMNH (87439 [old no. 639]) and measures 13 mm. Based on the available picture alone, the species can not be attributed with certainty to a living representative of the genus Cryptoplax. Comparison with the 46.1 mm long holotype of Cryptoplax striata (Lamarck, 1819) (MNHN 6081) shows differences in the valve sculpture. That is why we report here the species as Cryptoplax sp. only. While Bergenhayn’s specimen has narrow, granulated radial ribs in the pleurolateral areas, the holotype shows solid, smooth radial ribs. Unfortunately we never saw juvenile specimens of Cryptoplax striata, which according to Gowlett-Holmes (2001) is a strictly Australian species, so that we are unable to say whether the tegmental differences reflect growth stages only, or warrant a specific separation. The granulated radial ribs in Bergenhayn’s specimen show similarities to the sculpture of the following fossil species. The juveniles of this species also differ from those of its Fijian congeners. Small specimens of C. elioti have a much finer tegmentum sculpture, lacking radial ribs in the head valve. Juveniles of Cryptoplax larvaeformis were not found in the material from Fiji, but numerous specimens are available for comparision from New Caledonia (Schwabe et al. [unpublished data]). It was found that juveniles of C. larvaeformis tend to lose the contact between the valves when they grow to about 10 mm body length. These small specimens were generally redish with dark spotted posterior valve margins and the tegmentum has a finer sculpture, while Bergenhayn’s specimen has throughout white valves. Thus we consider the illustrated specimen different from C. elioti and C. larvaeformis.

��� Cryptoplax menkrawitensis Beets, 1941 (Figure 13) Cryptoplax menkrawitensis Beets 1941: 8, pl. 1, figs 1���3. Locus typicus: Indonesia, Borneo, Kalimantan Timur, Tanjung Mangkalihat, Menkrawit-beds (Upper Miocene) [01��01���N 118 �� 59 ���E]. Primary type: Holotype (RGM. 312.201), part of the Leopold collection, not seen. Fiji record: Cryptoplax cf. C. menkrawitensis; Ladd 1966: 24, pl. 1, fig. 22. Cryptoplax sp.; Ladd 1966: 25. Material examined: USNM 648221: 1 intermediate valve from the Miocene Suva Formation (Tertiary f) at Viti Levu, Station 160; USNM: 1 tail valve + 4 intermediate valves from the Miocene Suva Formation (Ter- tiary f) at Viti Levu, Station 160. Remarks: While the species was originally described from the upper Miocene of the Mangkalihat peninsula of East Borneo, the material Ladd mentioned was collected at the Miocene Suva Formation at Viti Levu and consists of three intermediate valves and one tail valve. He illustrated an intermediate valve (Ladd 1966, pl. 1, fig. 22.; here fig. 13 A), which was the only valve in the sample USNM 648221, suggesting that two intermediate valves and a tail valve are missing. Coexisting with the above listed valves Ladd (1966: 25) reported four intermediate valves and a tail valve of Cryptoplax sp., which ���may represent a distinct species���. Based on the examined valves the species can not attributed to one of the living congeners with certainty but are here interpreted as belonging to one species although one of the valves (Fig. 13 E) may not belong with the others. The most similar species seems to be Cryptoplax striata (Lamarck, 1819), while the original description of C. menkrawitensis fits well to the sculpture of our Cryptoplax sp. presented herein., Published as part of Schwabe, Enrico, Sirenko, Boris I. & Seeto, Johnson, 2008, A checklist of Polyplacophora (Mollusca) from the Fiji islands, pp. 1-52 in Zootaxa 1777 on pages 31-32, DOI: 10.5281/zenodo.274284

Summary The reproductive cycles of Liolophura (L.) gaimardi, Cryptoplax mystica, and Ischnochiton (I.) australis are investigated using gonadal indices and histological features. L. (L.) gaimardi exhibits a clear annual reproductive cycle of spawning during autumn, resorbing over winter, and gametogenesis through spring and early summer. C. mystica and I. (I.) australis spawn primarily over extended periods through autumn/winter, and to a lesser extent during spring, resorption is limited, and gametogenesis proceeds at a constant rate throughout the year. The onset of gametogenesis in L. (L.) gaimardi coincides with increasing water temperatures, whereas the rate of gamete production in both C. mystica and I. (I.) australis appears to be independent of temperature. Spawning in all species is at its maximum during the period of maximum water temperature, though lesser spawnings may occur in C. mystica and I. (I.) australis at reduced water temperatures. Temperature is discounted as the direct cue initiatin...

Notes are given on nine chiton species, collected mainly during the 'Oceanic Reefs' Expedition to the Seychelles (1992-1993), with some biogeographical observations. Ischnochiton goudi (family Ischnochitonidae) is described as a new species.

A compiled list of Fiji Islands chitons, including an updated chresonymy list and identification key, is provided. To the nine species previously known from the literature ten more are added. Of the 19 species now known from Fijian waters, one is a deep-water species and two are also known from fossils. A redescription of Callochiton neocaledonicus Kaas & Van Belle, 1990, and a detailed description of subadult specimens of Choneplax littlerorum Sirenko, 2003 are herein provided. Chiton spinosetatus Bergenhayn, 1930 is here regarded as a synonym of Chiton subassimilis Souverbie in Souverbie & Montrouzier, 1866. A lectotype designation is herein made for one of the numerous syntypes of Cryptoplax jugosus Bergenhayn, 1930 and for one of the two syntypes of Chiton reticulatus Nierstrasz, 1905 to stabilize the type localities for these species. For the same reason, and to clarify the confusing type status of Lepidopleurus niasicus Thiele, 1906, a lectotype is also selected from the three available syntypes. Acanthopleura nigropunctata Carpenter, 1865 and Tonicia novemrugata Bergenhayn, 1930, formerly placed in Tonicia, are both reassigned to the genus Lucilina on the basis of radular differences of both genera (second lateral tooth quadricuspid in Lucilina vs. unicuspid in Tonicia) and the geographic isolation of the Tonicia, of which species occur in central and south American waters only.

The shell valve surfaces of the chitons Ischnochiton (Ischnoradsia) australis, Cryptoplax mystica, Liolophura (Liolophura) gaimardi and Onithochiton quercinus are studied by scanning electron microscopy. The distribution of aesthete caps is examined in relation to dorsal sculpturing and the formation of these complexes is compared with the arrangement of holes which penetrate the ventral surface and eave tissue. The presence of Specialized aesthetes (ocelli) on Liolophura (L.) gaimardi and O. quercinus is described. The use of aesthete densities as taxonomic indicators and possible functions in relation to species specific environmental conditions are discussed.

Cryptoplax laevis Blainv. Blainville. Manuel de malacologie. Paris 1827, p. 603, pi. 87, fig..">. L'espèce figurée par Haddon 2 sous le nom de Cryptoplax larvaeformis Blainv. qu'il homologue au C. laevis Blainv., n'est pas semblable à ce dernier. Voici les différences qui existent entre ces deux espèces: [table omitted] Pour les 5 valves suivantes les différences sont moins frappantes. Il y a donc lieu de considérer comme espèces distinctes le C. laevis Blainv. et le G. larvaeformis Blainv., Published as part of André, E ́ mile, 1896, Mollusques d'Amboine, pp. 395-405 in Revue Suisse de Zoologie 4 (2) on page 396, DOI: 10.5962/bhl.part.75142