Chitons (pronounced KY-tun) belong to the Phylum Mollusca and the Class Polyplacophora. Because they curl into a ball whenever dislodged or pryed off rocks, chitons have been nicknamed Sea Cradles. Chitons have several common characteristics:
- They have no distinct head, nor do they have tentacles or eyes
- All have 8 over-lapping, articulated (i.e., joined segments that are flexible) shells that allow the chitons to bend their bodies to conform to the rocky surfaces and crevices where they eat and live
- All have a single muscular "foot" for crawling and clinging securely to rock surfaces
- All feed on algae by scraping it off rocks with their radulas, a file-like rasping "tongue" embedded with metal oxide
- They move about and feed at night when they are less vulnerable to predators, such as birds
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