The blacklip abalone, ''Haliotis rubra'', is an Australian

species A species () is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate sexes or mating types can produce fertile offspring, typically by sexual reproduction. It is the basic unit of Taxonomy (biology), ...

of large, edible

sea snail Sea snails are slow-moving marine (ocean), marine gastropod Mollusca, molluscs, usually with visible external shells, such as whelk or abalone. They share the Taxonomic classification, taxonomic class Gastropoda with slugs, which are distinguishe ...

, a marine

gastropod Gastropods (), commonly known as slugs and snails, belong to a large Taxonomy (biology), taxonomic class of invertebrates within the phylum Mollusca called Gastropoda (). This class comprises snails and slugs from saltwater, freshwater, and fro ...

mollusk Mollusca is a phylum of protostomic invertebrate animals, whose members are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 76,000 extant species of molluscs are recognized, making it the second-largest animal phylum after Arthropoda. The ...

in the family

Haliotidae ''Haliotis'', common name abalone, is the only genus in the family Haliotidae. This genus once contained six subgenera. These subgenera have become alternate representations of ''Haliotis''. The genus consists of small to very large, edible, ...

, the

abalone Abalone ( or ; via Spanish , from Rumsen language, Rumsen ''aulón'') is a common name for any small to very large marine life, marine gastropod mollusc in the family (biology), family Haliotidae, which once contained six genera but now cont ...

.Bouchet, P. (2012). Haliotis rubra Leach, 1814. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=445354 on 2013-02-04 Haliotis rubra 003

Subspecies

* ''Haliotis rubra conicopora'' Péron, 1816 – the conical pore abalone; synonyms: ''Haliotis conicopora'' Péron, 1816 (original combination), ''Haliotis cunninghami'' Gray, 1826; ''Haliotis granti'' Pritchard & Gatliff, 1902; ''Haliotis vixlirata'' Cotton, 1943 * ''Haliotis rubra rubra'' Leach, 1814 the shield abalone; synonyms: ''Haliotis ancile'' Reeve, 1846; ''Haliotis improbula'' Iredale, 1924; ''Haliotis naevosa'' Philippi, 1844; ''Haliotis ruber'' Leach, 1814 (original combination); ''Haliotis whitehousei'' (Colman, 1959); ''Sanhaliotis whitehousei'' Colman, 1959

Description

The size of the shell varies between . "The large, much depressed shell has a rounded-oval shape. The distance of the apex from the margin is one-fifth the length of the shell. It is sculptured with fine spiral cords cut by close minute striae of increment. It shows radiating waves or folds above. A slight angle at the row of perforations, below it is broadly excavated and then carinated. The about six perforations are elevated and circular. The outline is suborbicular, much depressed and solid but not thick. The surface is either dark red with few radiating angular white patches, or dull red and green, streaked and mottled. The spiral cords of the outer surface are either nearly equal, or have slightly larger ones at wide intervals. They are decussated by close growth-striae. The

whorl A whorl ( or ) is an individual circle, oval, volution or equivalent in a whorled pattern, which consists of a spiral or multiple concentric objects (including circles, ovals and arcs). In nature File:Photograph and axial plane floral diagra ...

s number a trifle over 3. Inside they are corrugated like the outer surface, silvery, and very brilliantly iridescent. The reflections are chiefly sea-green and red. The columellar plate is broad, flat, and obliquely truncated at its base. The cavity of the spire is wide, open, but shallow This is a variable form, in color varying from dark coral red to dull red streaked with pale green."

Distribution

This species is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found only in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also foun ...

to Australia, and is one of two species of abalone taken in

South Australia South Australia (commonly abbreviated as SA) is a States and territories of Australia, state in the southern central part of Australia. With a total land area of , it is the fourth-largest of Australia's states and territories by area, which in ...

and

Tasmania Tasmania (; palawa kani: ''Lutruwita'') is an island States and territories of Australia, state of Australia. It is located to the south of the Mainland Australia, Australian mainland, and is separated from it by the Bass Strait. The sta ...

(the other is the greenlip abalone). Range is from

Fremantle Fremantle () () is a port city in Western Australia located at the mouth of the Swan River (Western Australia), Swan River in the metropolitan area of Perth, the state capital. Fremantle Harbour serves as the port of Perth. The Western Australi ...

, Western Australia, to Angourie, New South Wales, and around Tasmania. It is called the blacklip abalone because the edge of the foot is black. File:Haliotis rubra P2153810.JPG, ''Haliotis rubra'' with a kelp anchored on the shell File:Haliotis rubra P2153820.JPG, ''Haliotis rubra'' showing the characteristic black edge of the foot File:Haliotis rubra P2153824.JPG, ''Haliotis rubra'' frequently choose to shelter in fairly tight crevices File:Haliotis rubra P2153828.JPG, Two specimens of ''Haliotis rubra'' visible through a gap between two boulders

References

* Wilson, B. 1993. ''Australian Marine Shells. Prosobranch Gastropods''. Kallaroo, Western Australia : Odyssey Publishing Vol. 1 408 pp. * Geiger, D.L. 2000

999 999 or triple nine most often refers to: * 999 (emergency telephone number), a telephone number for the emergency services in several countries * 999 (number), an integer * AD 999, a year * 999 BC, a year Media Books * 999 (anthology), ''99 ...

''Distribution and biogeography of the recent Haliotidae (Gastropoda: Vetigastropoda) world-wide''. Bollettino Malacologico 35(5-12): 57-120 * Geiger D.L. & Poppe G.T. (2000). ''A Conchological Iconography: The family Haliotidae''. Conchbooks, Hackenheim Germany. 135pp 83pls * Geiger D.L. & Owen B. (2012) ''Abalone: Worldwide Haliotidae''. Hackenheim: Conchbooks. viii + 361 pp.

External links

New South Wales government fisheries info
* {{Taxonbar, from=Q3024362 rubra Gastropods described in 1814