It is red brick to orange and has eight valves which appear smooth to the naked eye, but are in fact composed of diagonal ridges and small granules that are only visible under microscope.

[1] The smooth European chiton is commonly found in shallow waters around most of Europe in the intertidal zone up to 1000 m or 3,300 ft depth.

[1] Its distribution area spans around most of Europe from Scandinavia to the Canary Islands as well as in the Mediterranean and the Red Sea.

[1][4] It can be found on red coralline algae and other hard substrates.

[1] The smooth European chiton is a grazer but may also feed on deposits of organic sediments.