Haliotidae

Haliotidae, commonly known as abalones, is a family of large sea snails within the clade Vetigastropoda. The family comprises a single genus, Haliotis, which includes a substantial number of extant species. Abalones are distributed in temperate and tropical seas worldwide, typically along rocky coastlines in wave-swept intertidal and shallow subtidal zones.

The shell is ear-shaped and thick, with a strong outer layer and a highly nacreous inner surface. A distinctive row of respiratory pores runs along the shell’s periphery in many species, and the aperture is large. The animal possesses a broad, muscular foot used for clinging to rock and for locomotion. The shell’s iridescent inner layer has made abalones valuable for decorative inlays and jewelry.

Ecology and behavior: Abalones are herbivorous grazers, feeding mainly on encrusting algae and, in some regions, kelp but with a preference for hard substrates in exposed habitats. They inhabit rocky shores from the intertidal zone down to shallow subtidal depths and can tolerate strong wave action.

Reproduction and development: Most species are gonochoric and reproduce by external fertilization, releasing sperm and eggs into the water. The life cycle includes free-swimming trochophore and veliger larval stages before settlement as juvenile snails.

Economic and conservation: Abalones are harvested for meat and for mother-of-pearl (nacre). They are cultivated in aquaculture in many regions to reduce pressure on wild stocks. Wild populations have declined due to overfishing, disease, and habitat loss, leading to regulatory protections and species-specific conservation efforts in numerous jurisdictions.