New species and further records of known species of Polyplacophora from the tropical western Pacific

The Polyplacophora from seven French cruises in the western tropical Pacific (Philippines, Coral Sea and New Caledonia), during the years 1980-1986, are discussed. Altogether 17 samples of chitons contain 29 specimens, belonging to 11 species, 4 of which are new, viz. Notoplax richeri, N. richardi, N. rostellata and Ischnochiton (Stenosemus) perforatus. Two other species, hitherto only known from the Queensland coast, viz. Leptochiton (Parachiton) capricornicus (Iredale & Hull, 1925) and Callistochiton granifer Hull, 1923, were obtained in the Coral Sea (Capel Bank and Chesterfield-Bellona) at a depth of little more than 50 m.