Superfamily Haliotoidea Scientific name Haliotis australis | Family Haliotidae Rank Species | |
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Similar Haliotis, Haliotis iris, Haliotis jacnensis, Haliotis spadicea, Haliotis pourtalesii | ||
Living paua haliotis australis
Haliotis australis, common name the "queen paua" or austral abalone, is a species of edible sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Haliotidae, the abalones.
Contents
Description
The size of the shell varies between 40 mm and 100 mm. "The thin, oval shell is quite convex. The distance of the apex from margin measures one-eighth to one-ninth the length of the shell. The sculpture consists of faint spirals and a close strong radiating corrugation. The 6 to 8 perforations are circular with elevated edges. The outlines are oval. The right margin is a little straighter. The back of the shell is convex, not carinated at the row of holes. The color pattern is light yellowish-brown, red on the spire, or light green flamed with red. The surface has almost obsolete spiral cords, and regular, close, radiating folds. Between the row of holes and the columellar margin there are no radiating folds, but several (generally three) strong spiral ribs. The spire is a little elevated and contains three whorls .Inside it is corrugated like the exterior, silvery with blue, green and red reflections, the latter predominating. The columellar plate is narrow.
The corrugated exterior is quite constant and characteristic. Young specimens are more strongly ribbed spirally, and often have radiating stripes of red on a delicate green ground."
Distribution
It is endemic to New Zealand.
Human use
Haliotis australis (also known as 'Queenies') and other two Haliotis species are known as "paua" in New Zealand and are used as a food source.