The papatua snakeskin chiton is a fascinating critter that lives in rock pools all around Aotearoa.
Their stripy, scaly girdle looks like snakeskin and they have a shell made of separate plates they can roll into a ball.
Under their pretty shell, chitons are basically just a big muscly foot that secretes mucus to help them stick fast to rocks.
The papatua / snakeskin chiton Photo: supplied
