Name a New Ocean Species: The Kiton Naming Competition

Discovering a New Species

• 🌊 A new species of chiton, a type of mollusk distantly related to clams and snails, was discovered off the coast of Japan at a depth of 5,500 meters.
• 🔬 Scientists at the Senckenberg Ocean Species Alliance meticulously documented the organism's physical characteristics to confirm it as a new species.

Understanding Chitons

• 🐚 Chitons possess a shell divided into eight separate plates, called valves, attached to a muscular overcoat known as a girdle.
• 🦶 Their body plan is adapted for attachment, often to rocks, with a muscular foot and a radula (a flexible sheet with iron-reinforced teeth) for scraping algae.
• 🍽️ While many chitons are herbivores, some species, like the one named after the narrator, are carnivorous and use their girdle to trap prey.

The Wood-Eating Chiton

• 🪵 The newly discovered species is unique as it is a vegetarian that specifically eats wood found on the seafloor.
• 🐛 A notable feature of chitons in the genus Ferrerella, including this new species, is the presence of worms living on their posterior, which feed on waste.
• 👃 Microscopic pores called esthetes on the chiton's plates house its largest sensory organ, allowing it to detect or 'smell' the water.

Naming the Species

• 🏷️ The scientific naming convention involves a genus name (Ferrerella in this case) and a species name.
• 💡 Potential species names can reference the organism's appearance, habitat, a person (excluding the describer and the narrator), or a relevant issue.
• ✍️ To participate, submit your proposed name and a brief explanation in the comments by February 2nd.
• 🏆 The winner will be announced on February 6th, the same day the scientific paper is published, and may receive a 3D-printed model of the species.