''Haliotis scalaris'', common name the staircase abalone or the ridged ear abalone, is a

species In biology, a species is the basic unit of classification and a taxonomic rank of an organism, as well as a unit of biodiversity. A species is often defined as the largest group of organisms in which any two individuals of the appropriate s ...

of sea snail, a marine gastropod

mollusk Mollusca is the second-largest phylum of invertebrate animals after the Arthropoda, the members of which are known as molluscs or mollusks (). Around 85,000 extant species of molluscs are recognized. The number of fossil species is e ...

in the

family Family (from la, familia) is a group of people related either by consanguinity (by recognized birth) or affinity (by marriage or other relationship). The purpose of the family is to maintain the well-being of its members and of society. Idea ...

Haliotidae ''Haliotis'', common name abalone, is the only genus in the family Haliotidae. This genus once contained six subgenera. These subgenera have become alternate representations of ''Haliotis''. The genus consists of small to very large, edible, ...

, the abalones. ;Subspecies: * ''Haliotis scalaris emmae'' Reeve, 1846 * ''Haliotis scalaris scalaris'' (Leach, 1814)

Description

The size of the shell varies between 60 mm and 100 mm. "The depressed shell has a rounded-oval shape, showing a strong spiral rib on each side of the row of 5 to 6 open perforations, and prominent elevated radiating lamellae around the

spire A spire is a tall, slender, pointed structure on top of a roof of a building or tower, especially at the summit of church steeples. A spire may have a square, circular, or polygonal plan, with a roughly conical or pyramidal shape. Spires a ...

. The shell is moderately large but thin, of the depressed, irregularly oval shape. Its color pattern is reddish or variegated olive and green. The surface has a strong rounded ridge inside of the row of elevated tubular holes, and a smaller, nodose ridge outside of it. Above it is finely striated spirally, and with coarse raised lamellae between the spire and the inner spiral rib. Its inner surface is silvery and very iridescent, with excavations corresponding to the elevations of the outer surface. The columellar plate is narrow, and obliquely truncated below."H.A. Pilsbry (1890) Manual of Conchology XII; Academy of Natural Sciences, Philadelphia, 1890
(described as ''Haliotis tricostalis'')

Distribution

This marine species is

endemic Endemism is the state of a species being found in a single defined geographic location, such as an island, state, nation, country or other defined zone; organisms that are indigenous to a place are not endemic to it if they are also found else ...

to Australia and occurs from South West (Western Australia) to

Victoria Victoria most commonly refers to: * Victoria (Australia), a state of the Commonwealth of Australia * Victoria, British Columbia, provincial capital of British Columbia, Canada * Victoria (mythology), Roman goddess of Victory * Victoria, Seychelle ...

including

Tasmania ) , nickname = , image_map = Tasmania in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Tasmania in AustraliaCoordinates: , subdivision_type = Country , subdi ...

References

* Wilson, B. 1993. ''Australian Marine Shells. Prosobranch Gastropods.'' Kallaroo, Western Australia : Odyssey Publishing Vol. 1 408 pp. from=Q3021880 scalaris Gastropods of Australia Gastropods described in 1814