''Haliotis pourtalesii'', common name Pourtale's abalone, is a rare species of deepwater

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

abalone 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 (biology), family Haliotidae. Other common name In biology, a common name of a taxon o ...

s.Rosenberg, G. (2010). Haliotis pourtalesii Dall, 1881. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=419376 on 2011-09-06

Subspecies

* ''

Haliotis pourtalesii aurantium ''Haliotis pourtalesii aurantium'' is a subspecies of edible sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Haliotidae, the abalone Abalone ( or ; via Spanish , from Rumsen ''aulón'') is a common name for any of a group of small to ...

'' Simone, 1998 * ''Haliotis pourtalesii pourtalesii'' Dall, 1881

Distribution

Haliotis pourtalesii species in Atlantic Ocean 2013 000

The known distribution for ''Haliotis pourtalesii'' reported in the literature puts it in a range that extends from the coast of North Carolina to Florida in the United States of America and from there through the Gulf of Mexico, to Cuba, the Caribbean coasts of Colombia, Venezuela and Suriname), the West Indies and to the shores of Brazil.

Description

The maximum recorded shell length is 30 mm.Welch J. J. (2010). "The “Island Rule” and Deep-Sea Gastropods: Re-Examining the Evidence". '' PLoS ONE'' 5(1): e8776. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0008776. The shell is relatively small, varying from 18 mm to a maximum length of 30 mm. There are 22 to 27 to wavy, spiral cords on the outer surface which is colored a waxy yellow to light-brown, with a few irregular patches of reddish orange. A light-orange band runs from each hole to the edge of the shell. The inside is pearly–white. "The small shell is painted with a pale brick-red color, with white dots on some of the spirals, The spire is rather elevated, consisting of about two and a half

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). Whorls in nature File:Photograph and axial plane floral ...

s. The small apex is prominent. The shell contains about twenty-five holes, of which five remain open. The margins of these are rather prominent. Outside the row of hole, s the usual sulcus is strongly marked. About midway from the suture to the lines of holes is a raised rib, rather obscure, but differing in different individuals and corresponding to an internal sulcus. Between the central ridges and the suture there are no undulations or transverse ridges of consequence. The sculpture of the shell shows a well marked, rather flattish, spiral, close-set threads, sometimes with a single finer intercalary thread, overlaid by smaller rather compressed transverse ridges, in harmony with the incremental lines. On top of the spirals, the ridges bulge like the threads of worsted on canvas embroidery. The spire is situated well forward and with sides. The inner surface is pearly. The coil of the spire is rather close and the margin of the columella is flattened." The

radula The radula (, ; plural radulae or radulas) is an anatomical structure used by molluscs for feeding, sometimes compared to a tongue. It is a minutely toothed, chitinous ribbon, which is typically used for scraping or cutting food before the food ...

of this species is peculiar in possessing a very narrow lateral tooth. The cephakic tentacles show concentric rings. Within Haliotis, these characteristics can only be found also in ''

Haliotis dalli ''Haliotis dalli'', common name the Galápagos abalone, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Haliotidae, the abalones. It has been confused in the past with '' Haliotis pourtalesii'' Dall, 1881, that occurs off ...

'' Henderson, 1915 and in ''Haliotis dalli, Haliotis dalli roberti'' Mclean, 1970. Sometimes young specimens of abalones from other oceans are offered for sale as this species.

Habitat

It has been collected in a bathymetric range between 25 and 230 meters depth, usually on hard substrates.Titgen, R. H., & Bright, T. J. 1985: “Notes on the distribution and ecology on the Western Atlantic abalone, Haliotis pourtalesii Dall, 1881 (Mollusca: Gastropoda)”. Northwest Gulf Sciences, 7:147-152. Minimum recorded depth is 36 m. Maximum recorded depth is 366 m.

References

Bibliography

* Turgeon, D.D., et al. 1998. ''Common and scientific names of aquatic invertebrates of the United States and Canada''. American Fisheries Society Special Publication 26 page(s): 57 * Geiger D.L. & Poppe G.T. (2000). ''A Conchological Iconography: The family Haliotidae''. Conchbooks, Hackenheim Germany. 135pp 83pls. * Owen B. (2009). ''Checklist of the abalones of the world''

External links

* * Malacolog info on this species a

{{Taxonbar, from=Q2650825 Haliotis, pourtalesiie Gastropods described in 1881