Guide to the Chiton (Mollusca: Polyplacophora) fauna of South Africa

This review is the first comprehensive guide to, and account of, the chiton fauna of South Africa since 1931 and reports on a total of 50 species currently known from the region. Of these, 42 are reported from published literature, while eight are newly-documented here. All were discovered via examination of collections held by the KwaZulu-Natal Museum and Iziko South African Museum. Many of these specimens were collected decades ago and have remained in museum collections since that time, prior to being formally reported in this guide. All eight new records originate from the subtropical KwaZulu-Natal province, although one was also found in the Eastern Cape Province. No species new to science were discovered. Of the recorded species, 46% are endemic to South Africa, with endemicity rates being much higher in the cooler, more temperate regions far from national borders and lowest in KwaZulu-Natal, where many species extend across the border into the tropical Indo-Pacific. A key to all the known species is provided and an account of each is given, including details of synonymy, a brief diagnosis and illustrations of key features.