Diversity and abundance of chitons on the west coast is among the highest in the world.  Moreover, the largest species in the world, the gumboot chiton Cryptochiton stelleri, is found here.  In certain Caribbean islands, where they once were harvested as food, chitons are sometimes referred to as “coat-of-mail” shells and as “sea beef”.  The large muscle mass comprising the foot, however, is tough, rubbery, and flavourless.

NOTE  the word refers to the tunic worn by men in ancient Greece, a sort of thick wool, sleeveless, shirt

NOTE  presumably named after its resemblance to the sole of a Wellington boot or gumboot.  The word “gumboot” reminds us of the time when such wading boots were made out of natural, or gum, rubber instead of synthetics.  Cryptochiton stelleri reaches lengths greater than 30cm and live masses approaching 1kg

Gumboot chiton Cryptochiton stelleri attached
to a rock in the intertidal zone 0.3X

Phylum Mollusca (lit. “soft” L. or “shellfish” L.)

Class Polyplacophora (lit. “many plates” G.), referring to the 8 protective shell plates, including several dozen shallow-water inhabiting west-coast species