Good day Conchlers,

I've had a family from NJ, USA  approach me with the following query:

"Today (Sunday the 30th)  we were in a fresh water brook (about 6 inches of
water).  We were turning over rocks and found a number of creatures (what
appeared to be baby  hellbenders, crawfish, caddis, etc.) and affixed to
several flat rocks we found what appear to be chitons.  Now from what we
have read they (chitons) are  marine animals.  I understand marine to mean
salt water.  They also did not  curl up when detached from the rock.  Do you
have any idea what they might be?

Kathy C. Cornetto who has exhausted our extensive library
email:  [log in to unmask] "

I asked Kathy if she had a picture of the critter in question and in
response she went on to say:  "Sorry even with my macro zoom lens I don't
think I'd get a very good shot as it is about 1/2 to 1 cm in length.  I'm
beginning to wonder if it could have been some type of aquatic insect but I
don't think so.  It seemed to look like a ovalish limpet & seemed to have
what looked like snail's foot (minus the door) underneath. "

If you can be of any help and wish to answer directly to Kathy (and her
kids), please be sure to use the  words "Mysterious Critter"  in the subject
line as Kathy receives a few hundred emails per day and she doesn't want
delete answers to this question  accidentally.  If you wish to reply to the
group, I will pass the answers on to Kathy personally.

I thank you for helping out on this query that I am not able to answer.

All the best,

Avril Bourquin
P.O.Box 366
Invermere, British Columbia
Canada
V0A 1K0

Phone: (250) 342-7224
EMail:  [log in to unmask]
URL:  www.manandmollusc.net