Which chiton is this?

[Goosegogs]

Having misplaced my seashore book again! I can't remember which chiton this is.

[Goosegogs]

Even though I found my book again, I still am not sure what chiton it is. The illustrations in the book (and a second book I have) don't seem to match up to the photograph. I am so rusty on marine critters!

[C C]

What about Lepidochitona cinereus, i hope my spelling is right.

[Goosegogs]

Originally Posted by C C

What about Lepidochitona cinereus, i hope my spelling is right.

I have (according to a tick in my book) seen that species, which is "generally regarded as the commonest chiton on most shores."

My first impression was that it is a Lepidopleurus asellus, the coat-of-mail chiton, but the illustration in Campbell's The Hamlyn guide to Seashores & Shallow Seas of Britain and Europe (the latest edition is a Philips and not Hamlyn's) book is a pale brown colour, "dorsal plates almost smooth and ash coloured" The other book is a Reader's Digest book entitled Field guide to the water life of Britain, which says "uniformly grey or brown..." Looking at that, it does look more like the L.asellus than Nicholls's illustration in Campbell's book. I am just so rusty!