This two inch chiton has a medium wide girdle which is sandy, fleshy and thickly covered with bristles. Mucro is highly posterior. Central areas have granulose cross ribbing with those cross ribs coming from the jugal area heavier until they meet midway the heavier cross ribs coming from the lateral areas. The lateral areas are broad-ribbed. Color of valves is black with occasional white stripe down sides of dorsal ridge. Some specimens are highly colored. The color of girdle is cream with reddish brown hairs and is granular. Some believe this species is a synonym of Nuttallina californica Nuttall in Reeve, 1847.
Illustrated specimen from Burghardt Collection