Flame Lined Chiton

Tonicella lokii

Tonicella lokii, known as the flame lined chiton, features a distinctive appearance with blue, white, purple, or black zig-zag lines adorning its eight valves. The background color can vary, often appearing in shades of brown or red, but may also be bright blue or yellow to orange. Its girdle is hairless and typically brown to red or pink, often showcasing radiating bands and a yellow or white broken concentric line. This species can be distinguished from Tonicella lineata and Tonicella undocaerulea, which lack the radiating bands on the girdle, and from Mopalia spectabilis, which has a hairy girdle and different coloration patterns. Flame lined chitons inhabit benthic environments in the Eastern Central Pacific, particularly around the USA. They are typically found on rocky substrates, where they graze on algae and organic matter. Their life cycle includes a planktonic larval stage, where eggs hatch into lecitotrophic trocophore larvae before settling on the ocean floor as young adults. Encounters with this species during dives can be intriguing, as they often blend in with their surroundings, requiring keen observation to spot. Currently, Tonicella lokii has not been evaluated by the IUCN, and no specific conservation status is assigned. However, divers should always be mindful of their environment to ensure the preservation of such species.