Lepidozona subtilis Berry, 1956

Reyes-Gómez, Adriana, Vargas-Ponce, Ofelia, Galván-Villa, Cristian, Salgado-Barragán, José, Esqueda-González, Ma. Del Carmen & Ríos-Jara, Eduardo, 2023, Inventory of chiton species (Polyplacophora) from the rocky intertidal of the Northern Gulf of California, with an illustrated taxonomic key, Zootaxa 5296 (2), pp. 147-178 : 159-160

Lepidozona subtilis Berry, 1956

( Figures 2H , 7A–F )

Lepidozona subtilis Berry, 1956: 71–74 . Chresonymy and synonymy in Kaas & Van Belle (1987).

Type material. Holotype, SBMNH 34432 ex. “Berry collection 15132”.

Type locality. Puerto Peñasco , Sonora, México ( Kaas & Van Belle 1987).

Material examined. 284 specimens, BL 6.1–19.7 mm.

Habitat. On semi–humid large and medium–sized rocks buried in sand with brown and red crusty algae patches exposed during low tide. At Playa Cementerio and Playa Gringa in the Bahía de los Ángeles, Baja California (BC) it was found on a substrate with abundant anemones and ascidians, asteroids, ophiuroids, and holothuroids.

Remarks. This species has a nodular radial sculpture ( Figs. 7A–C ) and lateral areas with 4–6 fine grooves ( Fig. 7B ). Aesthetes with 6–9 microaesthetes ( Fig. 7D ). Radula with bicuspid major lateral and bilobate minor lateral tooth ( Figs. 7E–F ).

Ferreira (1974) proposed that L. subtilis is distributed from 26°N in the Gulf of California up to Puerto Peñasco including Puerto Lobos, Bahía San Pedro, Guaymas, San Felipe, Puertecitos, Bahía San Luis Gonzaga, Bahía de los Ángeles, and Bahía San Francisquito. Most of this distribution accounts were based on field observations, specimens from the collection of the California Academy of Sciences, and private collections (Allyn G. Smith and George Hanselman). We recorded this species from Bahía Kino to Bahía de los Ángeles, BC which coincides with the distribution reported by Ferreira (1974).

This species was the most numerous in our samples, representing 40% of the total number of specimens, and was present at almost all sampling sites, except Bahía San Carlos, Sonora. The studied specimens have varied coloration patterns of red, orange, yellow, olive green, dark green, and beige with combinations of these colors in spots or lines as was also reported by Ferreira (1974). We also observed a variable number of ribs in the adult individuals and no apparent relationship between rib number and body length. These variations were also pointed out by Ferreira (1974), who found that L. subtilis differs from its congeners by the absence of a protuberance (horn) on the apical edge of the scales.

Figures

FIGURE 2. Chiton species obtained from the Northern Gulf of California. A. Dorsal and lateral views of Ischnochiton guatemalensis CUCBACM 00450. B. Dorsal and lateral views of Ischnochiton tridentatus CUCBACM 00453. C. Dorsal and lateral views of Stenoplax limaciformis CUCBACM 00455. D. Dorsal and lateral views of Stenoplax mariposa CUCBACM 00459. E. Dorsal and lateral views of Stenoplax sonorana CUCBACM 00462. F. Dorsal view of Lepidozona clathrata CUCBACM 00464. G. Dorsal view of Lepidozona serrata CUCBACM 00471. H. Dorsal and lateral views of Lepidozona subtilis CUCBACM 00475. I. Dorsal and lateral views of Callistochiton elenensis CUCBACM 00476.

FIGURE 7. A–F. Scanning electron microscope images of Lepidozona subtilis CUCBACM 00475. A. Dorsal view of head valve. B. Dorsal view of half of intermediate valve IV. C. Dorsal view of tail valve. D. Valve IV aesthetes’ detail of intermediate area. E, F. Radular teeth details. G–K. Scanning electron microscope images of Callistochiton elenensis CUCBACM 00476. G. Dorsal view of head valve. H. Dorsal view of half of intermediate valve IV. I. Dorsal view of tail valve. J. Dorsal girdle scales detail. K. Radular teeth. L. Radular teeth of Chiton virgulatus CUCBACM 00491 of Chiton virgulatus CUCBACM 00491.