Gastropoda |
Lepetellida |
Haliotidae
Environment: milieu / climate zone / depth range / distribution range
Ecology
Benthic; depth range 0 - 6 m (Ref. 865). Subtropical; 44°N - 28°N, 125°W - 113°W
Eastern Pacific: USA to Mexico. Historically occurred from Crescent City, California to southern Baja California, Mexico; however, current constricted range occurs from Point Arena, California to Bahia Tortugas, Mexico.
Length at first maturity / Size / Weight / Age
Maturity: Lm ?, range 5 - ? cm Max length : 29.0 cm SHW male/unsexed; (Ref. 312); max. reported age: 51 years (Ref. 8702)
Shell is dark blue-black and smooth. It is usually free from seaweed and other marine growth. The holes near the shell edge are used to carry of waste and release eggs and sperm (Ref. 312).
Fisheries: the meat is eaten fresh or dried; the shell is used as ornament or served as spoons or bowls (Ref. 312). Found under large rocks and in deep crevices in the middle to low intertidal zones. Herbivorous; known to grab drifting blades of brown algae with their tentacles; they also scrape diatoms and other microscopic algae from rocks. Usually feeds on various species of brown algae, but the smaller individuals ingest diatoms and coralline algae. Preyed on by humans. Under crowded conditions, adult abalones may graze the growth of marine plants from other shells (Ref. 312).
Broadcast spawners (Ref. 105180).
Gallivan, G. and J. Danforth. 1999. (Ref. 312)
IUCN Red List Status
(Ref. 130435: Version 2024-2)
CITES status (Ref. 108899)
Not Evaluated
Not Evaluated
Threat to humans
Human uses
Fisheries: commercial
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More information
PhysiologyOxygen consumption
Human RelatedStamps, coins, misc.
Internet sources
Estimates based on models
Preferred temperature
(Ref.
115969): 12.2 - 18.6, mean 15.9 (based on 61 cells).
Fishing Vulnerability
Moderate to high vulnerability (55 of 100).