Kingdom Animalia Class Gastropoda Superfamily Haliotoidea Scientific name Haliotis pulcherrima | Phylum Mollusca Clade Vetigastropoda Family Haliotidae Rank Species | |
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Similar Haliotis jacnensis, Haliotis pourtalesii, Haliotis rugosa | ||
Haliotis pulcherrima is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Haliotidae, the abalones.
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Description
Haliotis pulcherrima is commonly referred to the "Most Beautiful Abalone" (directly translated from Latin). Its shell size ranges from 18–40 mm. This Abalone's shell is iridescent and creamy-white on the inside. It can be found mainly in East Polynesia. It is edible as with most abalones.
"The small, flattened shell has a rounded-oval shape. The distance of the apex from the margin is about one-fourth the length of the shell. The surface is finely corrugated by radiating deep folds. The generally eight perforations are small, round and tubular. The row is bordered on each side by a shallow channel. This little shell is straighter on the right than on the left margin. The color is whitish or flesh-colored with broad oblique red rays. The surface is finely corrugated. The folds are strong, close and numerous, not extending quite to the row of holes. Their summits are crenulated by inconspicuous spiral striae. Outside of the row of holes the surface slopes flatly to the strong angle or carina at the columellar margin. And the descending folds on this portion are cut into granules by spiral striae. The spire is somewhat elevated. Inside it is silvery. The columellar shelf is flat and rather wide."
Distribution
This marine species is found in Eastern Polynesia.