First records of coalescence and hypomerism in Tonicia atrata (Polyplacophora, Chitonidae) in the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean

Abstract

The first cases of anomalies in the number of shell-plates in Tonicia atrata (Sowerby II, 1840) are herein reported on the basis of three specimens from Zaratiegui Bay, Tierra del Fuego, Argentina (54°50’53’’ S, 68°29’7’’ W): two cases of coalescence (one symmetrical and another one asymmetrical) and a case of hypomerism. The abnormal specimens bore less ctenidia than physiological conspecific specimens of similar size. The symmetrical coalescent specimen and the hypomeric individual were significantly wider (higher width/length ratio) than physiological specimens. Nevertheless, the reported abnormalities seem to have no effect on general growth, since the body size of the abnormal specimens were close to the largest physiological ones found in the same locality.