The chiton does not have eyes or tentacles on the head, but is able to sense touch and perceive light from sensory cells within the shell plates. Chiton are herbivores. At the head end of the animal is a mouth which has a special feeding tool known as the radula. The radula works like a tongue with many tiny teeth that scrape algae from the rocks. Chiton tend to be nocturnal creatures, venturing out when the light is dim in search of food.
Chiton respire through gills located in two lateral grooves between the foot and the shells.
The chiton has few enemies, but in Northern California there is a predaceous snail that feeds on chiton. The sexes are separate, and fertilization of eggs takes place in the mantle cavity of the female. They tend to be gregarious during periods of breeding, resulting in the increased likelihood of a female drawing in sperm with the water normally taken in for respiration. Generally the eggs are laid in strings or in a jelly mass. The Gumboot breeds in the spring.