---
title: "Gumboot Chiton"
description: "Cryptochiton stelleri — Other animals. The gumboot chiton (Cryptochiton stelleri), also known as the giant western fiery chiton or giant Pacific chiton, is the largest of the chitons, growing to 36 cm (14 in) and capable of reaching a weight of more than 2 kg (4.4 lb)."
canonical: https://animalchecklist.com/animal/gumboot-chiton
last_updated: 2026-09-20
---

# Gumboot Chiton

> Cryptochiton stelleri — Other animals. The gumboot chiton (Cryptochiton stelleri), also known as the giant western fiery chiton or giant Pacific chiton, is the largest of the chitons, growing to 36 cm (14 in) and capable of reaching a weight of more than 2 kg (4.4 lb).

- Scientific name: *Cryptochiton stelleri*
- Category: `other` (Other animals)
- Habitats: `sea` (Sea & coast)
- iNaturalist observations: 10999
- Wikidata: [Q1861188](https://www.wikidata.org/wiki/Q1861188)
- iNaturalist taxon: [49053](https://www.inaturalist.org/taxa/49053)

## Names

- en: Gumboot Chiton
- nl: Reuzenkeverslak

## Countries with the most observations

US (8869), CA (1878), RU (36)

## Summary

The gumboot chiton (Cryptochiton stelleri), also known as the giant western fiery chiton or giant Pacific chiton, is the largest of the chitons, growing to 36 cm (14 in) and capable of reaching a weight of more than 2 kg (4.4 lb). It is found along the shores of the northern Pacific Ocean from Central California to Alaska, across the Aleutian Islands to the Kamchatka Peninsula and south to Japan. It inhabits the lower intertidal and subtidal zones of rocky coastlines. The gumboot chiton's appearance has led some tidepoolers to refer to it, fondly, as the "wandering meatloaf". The name "gumboot chiton" seems to derive…

Text: Wikipedia (en), CC BY-SA 4.0 — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gumboot_chiton

## Photo

![Gumboot Chiton](https://animalchecklist.com/img/animals/gumboot-chiton/medium.jpg)

Photo: Alex Heyman · CC0 · inaturalist — https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/340692821

## Machine access

`GET https://animalchecklist.com/api/v1/animals/gumboot-chiton?lang=en` — see [openapi.json](https://animalchecklist.com/openapi.json).