Cornwall, U.K. 1984. Part of cuticle covering the girdle magnified X43 by scanning electron microscope. Specimen RMNH.MOL.HLS.1197 coll. Naturalis, Leiden, Netherlands. Image provided by J. D. Sigwart.
Scale line 0.5mm. Frame width 3mm.
Captions accord with the standardised terminology for chitons proposed by Schwabe (2010).

The girdle is tough thick tissue that surrounds the valves of chitons. In Acanthochitona crinita it is covered dorsally and ventrally by a distinct cuticle, part of which in this image has been removed from the thick tissue and opened out to show both surfaces.
On Acanthochitona crinita;
1: dorsal surface is covered with unaligned, short, straight spines (closer view at 24Ac 24 Acanthochitona crinita )
2: dorsal surface also has 18 tufts of long bristles.
3: peripheral margin of perinotum has dense, long spines, though not as long as in tufts.
4: ventral surface is covered with conical, outward directed scale-like spicules (closer view at 22Ac 22 Acanthochitona crinita ) .
Bristles and spines appear not to grow as fast as general body size as they often look relatively small on large specimens, and much longer relatively on small young specimens.

KEY ID FEATURES and similar species at: 01 Acanthochitona crinita