The pink abalone,

scientific name In taxonomy, binomial nomenclature ("two-term naming system"), also called nomenclature ("two-name naming system") or binary nomenclature, is a formal system of naming species of living things by giving each a name composed of two parts, bot ...

''Haliotis corrugata'', is a species of large edible

sea snail Sea snail is a common name for slow-moving marine gastropod molluscs, usually with visible external shells, such as whelk or abalone. They share the taxonomic class Gastropoda with slugs, which are distinguished from snails primarily by the ...

, a

marine Marine is an adjective meaning of or pertaining to the sea or ocean. Marine or marines may refer to: Ocean * Maritime (disambiguation) * Marine art * Marine biology * Marine debris * Marine habitats * Marine life * Marine pollution Military * ...

gastropod The gastropods (), commonly known as snails and slugs, belong to a large taxonomic class of invertebrates within the phylum Mollusca called Gastropoda (). This class comprises snails and slugs from saltwater, from freshwater, and from land. T ...

mollusk in the family Haliotidae, the

abalones Abalone ( or ; via Spanish , from Rumsen ''aulón'') is a common name for any of a group of small to very large marine gastropod molluscs in the family Haliotidae. Other common names are ear shells, sea ears, and, rarely, muttonfish or mutton ...

.Oliver, A.P.H. (2004). ''Guide to Seashells of the World.'' Buffalo: Firefly Books. 18.

Subspecies

* ''H. c. corrugata'' W. Wood, 1828 (synonyms: ''Haliotis diegoensis'' Orcutt, 1900; ''Haliotis nodosa'' Philippi, 1845) * ''H. c. oweni'' Talmadge, 1966 - synonym: ''Haliotis oweni'' Talmadge, 1966Rosenberg, G. (2010). ''Haliotis corrugata'' Wood, 1828. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=445308 on 2011-08-24

Distribution

Pink abalones can be found along the Pacific coast of North America from Point Conception, California to Bahia de Santa Maria,

Baja California Sur Baja California Sur (; 'South Lower California'), officially the Free and Sovereign State of Baja California Sur ( es, Estado Libre y Soberano de Baja California Sur), is the least populated state and the 31st admitted state of the 32 federal ent ...

, Mexico. Haliotis corrugata

Description

The shell is thick and characterized by strong corrugations and is more circular than other American abalones. The two to four open respiratory apertures have edges that are strongly elevated above the surface of the shell. These holes collectively make up the selenizone, which forms as the shell grows. The epipodium is a “ruffle” of tissue along the side of the foot. The head and epipodial tentacles are black, but the epipodial fringes are a mottled black and white, with many tubercles on the surface and a lacy edge. "The large shell is subcircular or short, oval, very convex, like a halfglobe. The surface is corrugated all over with nodose wrinkles. The three open perforations are elevated and tubular. The inner surface is dark, very brilliantly iridescent. The roughened muscle scar is distinct. The outline is more rounded than usual, being a very short oval. The back is very convex. The strong epidermis is dull,olive-brown with usually wide oblique greenish intervals. The sculpture begins as crowded spiral cords or

lira Lira is the name of several currency units. It is the current currency of Turkey and also the local name of the currencies of Lebanon and of Syria. It is also the name of several former currencies, including those of Italy, Malta and Israe ...

e, but over the greater part of the

body whorl The body whorl is part of the morphology of the shell in those gastropod mollusks that possess a coiled shell. The term is also sometimes used in a similar way to describe the shell of a cephalopod mollusk. In gastropods In gastropods, the b ...

these become nodose at short intervals, or are crossed by obliquely radiating corrugations. It is angled at the row of the holes. Below these there is a distinct spiral channel or furrow, bounded below by a more or less distinct row of nodules. And between this and the columellar margin it is obliquely corrugated. The folds scalloping the lower part of the columellar margin. The spire does not project above the general outline of the shell. The inner surface is dark, iridescent, with red predominating in the coloration. The muscle impression is large, distinct, roughened all over, and like fine mosaic work in its brilliant coloration. The flat or concave columellar plate slopes strongly inward, and is not at all truncate at the base. Above it, it almost conceals the small cavity of the spire. The large tubular perforations number sometimes two, but normally three."H.A. Pilsbry (1890) Manual of Conchology XII; Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, 1890
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Ecology

Habitat

This species occupies sheltered waters at depths between 20 and 118 feet (6 – 36 m). They are herbivores, feeding on kelp and drifting

algae Algae (; singular alga ) is an informal term for a large and diverse group of photosynthetic eukaryotic organisms. It is a polyphyletic grouping that includes species from multiple distinct clades. Included organisms range from unicellular mic ...

Life cycle

Pink abalone have separate sexes and broadcast spawn from March to November. Maturity is reached at about 1.4 in (35 mm) length or three to four years. Lifespan is 70 years or more.

Predators

Predators of this species other than mankind are

sea otter The sea otter (''Enhydra lutris'') is a marine mammal native to the coasts of the northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean. Adult sea otters typically weigh between , making them the heaviest members of the weasel family, but among the small ...

s, sea stars, large fish, and

octopus An octopus ( : octopuses or octopodes, see below for variants) is a soft-bodied, eight- limbed mollusc of the order Octopoda (, ). The order consists of some 300 species and is grouped within the class Cephalopoda with squids, cuttle ...

Diseases

Pink abalones are subject to a chronic, progressive and lethal disease: the Withering Syndrome or abalone wasting disease, leading to mass mortality.

Threats and conservation

Pink abalone are threatened by historic overharvesting, illegal harvest, withering abalone syndrome disease, and climate change. In 1996, the California Department of Fish and Game closed the commercial and recreational abalone fisheries in California, but populations continued to decline. California has
Abalone Recovery Management Plan
to guide conservation efforts. The pink abalone is a US National Marine Fisheries Servicebr>Species of Concern
Species of Concern are those species about which the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Marine Fisheries Service
has some concerns regarding status and threats, but for which insufficient information is available to indicate a need to list the species under the U
Endangered Species Act
Information regarding the status of pink abalone in Mexico is scant. A commercial fishery for pink abalone is still in place in Mexico and is managed by local cooperatives.

References

* Geiger D.L. & Owen B. (2012) ''Abalone: Worldwide Haliotidae''. Hackenheim: Conchbooks. viii + 361 pp. 9 February 2012page(s): 77

External links

Gastropods.com

{{Taxonbar, from=Q3096257 corrugata Commercial molluscs Gastropods described in 1828 Taxa named by William Wood (zoologist)