Leptochiton subrugatus sp. nov. (Mollusca: Polyplacophora) from low boreal waters of northern Pacific

Abstract The genus Leptochiton Gray, 1847 is a paraphyletic group of small, pale, and usually deepwater chitons. They lack some the morphological shell characters that are important in systematics Polyplacophora, species identification within this challenging. One complex North Pacific includes at least 11 were historically synonymized or confused with rugatus (Carpenter Pilsbry, 1892). Scrutiny ecological biogeographical patterns has helped to separate lineages clade support diagnoses. Based on molecular studies, new described was previously both assimilis (Thiele, 1909) . This widely distributed summer-warmed bays southern Primorye, Moneron Island, Northern Japan, Kunashir, Yellow Sea. ~8% different COI barcode region from s.s. Morphological differences between closely related presented.