Chiton is a type of marine mollusk belonging to the class Polyplacophora. These creatures are commonly called “coat-of-mail shells” because of their distinctive segmented shell structure, resembling a suit of armor. Chitons are found in various marine habitats worldwide, including Houbihu in Kenting, from intertidal zones to deep-sea environments.
At the fish-feeding area of Houbihu in Kenting National Park, there is a chiton known as the ‘King of Shellfish,’ considered a star marine creature by divers.
Last night, a netizen posted on PTT (a popular Taiwanese online forum) that one of these chitons, measuring about 60 centimeters long, was found dead.
Today, the Conservation and Research Division of Kenting National Park and volunteers went diving to investigate. They discovered that the large chiton had no flesh left and showed clear signs of death.
They brought it back to create a specimen. The Kenting National Park authorities stated that it was unharmed before Typhoon Dusu hit, and they suspect that the continuous strong waves over several days led to its displacement and demise.
According to the Kenting National Park authorities, three years ago, a diving instructor brought divers to the fish-feeding area of Houbihu in Kenting National Park (east side of the outlet water of the Third Nuclear Power Plant) and found that the largest chiton in the area was missing. Later, it was discovered more than 20 meters away on the seabed.
As the sandy environment was not suitable for its growth, the Kenting National Park authorities requested the help of diving volunteers to move it back to its original location. It remained there until Typhoon Doksuri hit Kenting recently. However, last night, a netizen on PTT posted that the chiton had died.”
The Kenting National Park authorities stated that last year, the Ocean Conservation Administration had announced the revision of the ‘List of Marine Endangered Wildlife for Conservation.’
It included seven species of chitons found in Taiwan as rare and precious marine wildlife for conservation. However, the proposal was not ultimately approved.
Recently, there were reports of some seafood shops in Kenting displaying and selling wild chitons, but no evidence was found upon inspection. The authorities issued a reminder that whether it is the collection and sale of marine wildlife or illegal harvesting for breeding, all of these actions violate the National Parks Act and harm the natural environment.