Northern abalone  (Haliotis kamtschatkana)

Description

Abalone species (Haliotis) are one of the most primitive group of molluscs on the planet, having changed little in the last 500 million years (2). The scientific name - Haliotis – means ‘sea ear’, referring to the flattened, oval shape of the shell (3). The northern abalone’s shell exterior is mottled greenish brown with scattered areas of white and blue (4). These colours mostly come from algae pigments in the species’ waste, and are a great help with camouflage (2) (3). By contrast, the interior of the shell is pearly-white with a feint pink and green sheen (3). A row of three to six raised breathing holes line the outer edge of the shell, followed by several bumps (2) (3) (5). As the abalone grows, these openings fuse and are replaced (3). Sometimes the abalone will stick its thin yellowish-brown to green tentacles through these openings, in order to keep them clear (2) (4). A muscular foot at the base of the shell allows the abalone to clamp tightly to rocky surfaces on the sea bed (4).

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