How many species of Chitons (Mollusca: Polyplacophora: Lepidopleurida & Chitonida) are there in the caribbean sea? An updated checklist, including a brief general revision of their knowledge

Introduction: According informated in regional literature (Agudo-Padrón, 2023 a), and after disregarding the mention of a species own to the Pacific Ocean erroneously included – Acanthochitonidae Acanthochitona ferreirai Lyons, 1988, it is currently accepted that the marine malacofaunistic biodiversity of Chitons (Polyplacophora) occurring in the general environment of the tropical watershed of the Great Caribbean basin is composed by a total fifty-two (52) nominal valid native species of these singular benthic molluscs. Objective: Updated general review of the inventory of polyplacophorous molluscs occurring in the marine tropical territory of the Great Caribbean basin, geographically located in the region of the North Western Atlantic. Methodology: Unprecedented systematic organization of a reference database comprising total regional knowledge chronologically produced around the theme over a period of 125 years (1900 - 2025). Results and Conclusions: Confirmed and recorded regional total of fifty-three (53) chiton species, including forty-five (45) litoranean shallow waters forms and eight (8) of deep sea water forms (this last essentially a "transitional" environment area, containing elements of both the shelf above and the abyss below), registered for coastal-oceanic insular and continental geographic locations, all verified through the global platform "MolluscaBase", mainly, taxonomically included in 18 Genera, 8 Families, 2 SubOrders, 2 Orders, 1 SubClass & 1 Class, incorporating additional information about their known biogeographical distribution in this territorial space.