Haliotis corrugata
Encyclopedia
The Pink abalone, scientific name Haliotis corrugata, is a species
of large edible sea snail
, a marine
gastropod mollusk in the family Haliotidae, the abalones.
, California
to Bahia de Santa Maria, Baja California Sur
, Mexico
.
is thick and characterized by strong corrugations and is more circular than other U.S. abalones. There are 2 to 4 open respiratory apertures with edges that are strongly elevated above the surface of the shell. 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.
and drifting algae
.
s, sea star
s, large fish
, and octopus
.
or abalone wasting disease, leading to mass mortality.
The pink abalone is a U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service
Species of Concern. Species of Concern are those species about which the U.S. Government’s 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.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA).
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.
Species
In biology, a species is one of the basic units of biological classification and a taxonomic rank. A species is often defined as a group of organisms capable of interbreeding and producing fertile offspring. While in many cases this definition is adequate, more precise or differing measures are...
of large edible sea snail
Sea snail
Sea snail is a common name for those snails that normally live in saltwater, marine gastropod molluscs....
, a marine
Marine (ocean)
Marine is an umbrella term. As an adjective it is usually applicable to things relating to the sea or ocean, such as marine biology, marine ecology and marine geology...
gastropod mollusk in the family Haliotidae, the abalones.
Subspecies
- Haliotis corrugata oweni Talmadge, 1966 - synonym: Haliotis oweni Talmadge, 1966
Distribution
Pink abalones can be found along the Pacific coast of North America from Point ConceptionPoint Conception
Point Conception is a headland along the Pacific coast of U.S. state of California, located in southwestern Santa Barbara County. It is the point where the Santa Barbara Channel meets the Pacific Ocean, and as the corner between the mostly north-south trending portion of coast to the north and the...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
to Bahia de Santa Maria, Baja California Sur
Baja California Sur
Baja California Sur , is one of the 31 states which, with the Federal District, comprise the 32 Federal Entities of Mexico. Before becoming a state on October 8, 1974, the area was known as the South Territory of Baja California. It has an area of , or 3.57% of the land mass of Mexico and comprises...
, Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
.
Description
The shellGastropod shell
The gastropod shell is a shell which is part of the body of a gastropod or snail, one kind of mollusc. The gastropod shell is an external skeleton or exoskeleton, which serves not only for muscle attachment, but also for protection from predators and from mechanical damage...
is thick and characterized by strong corrugations and is more circular than other U.S. abalones. There are 2 to 4 open respiratory apertures with edges that are strongly elevated above the surface of the shell. 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.
Habitat
This species occupies sheltered waters at depths between 20 and 118 feet (6 - 36 m). They are herbivores, feeding on kelpKelp
Kelps are large seaweeds belonging to the brown algae in the order Laminariales. There are about 30 different genera....
and drifting algae
Algae
Algae are a large and diverse group of simple, typically autotrophic organisms, ranging from unicellular to multicellular forms, such as the giant kelps that grow to 65 meters in length. They are photosynthetic like plants, and "simple" because their tissues are not organized into the many...
.
Life cycle
Pink abalone have separate sexes and broadcast spawn from March to November. Maturity is reached at about 1.4 inches (35 mm) length or 3 to 4 years. Lifespan is up to 30 years or more.Predators
Predators of this species other than mankind are sea otterSea Otter
The sea otter is a marine mammal native to the coasts of the northern and eastern North Pacific Ocean. Adult sea otters typically weigh between 14 and 45 kg , making them the heaviest members of the weasel family, but among the smallest marine mammals...
s, sea star
Sea star
Starfish or sea stars are echinoderms belonging to the class Asteroidea. The names "starfish" and "sea star" essentially refer to members of the class Asteroidea...
s, large fish
Fish
Fish are a paraphyletic group of organisms that consist of all gill-bearing aquatic vertebrate animals that lack limbs with digits. Included in this definition are the living hagfish, lampreys, and cartilaginous and bony fish, as well as various extinct related groups...
, and octopus
Octopus
The octopus is a cephalopod mollusc of the order Octopoda. Octopuses have two eyes and four pairs of arms, and like other cephalopods they are bilaterally symmetric. An octopus has a hard beak, with its mouth at the center point of the arms...
.
Diseases
Pink abalones are subject to a chronic, progressive and lethal disease: the Withering SyndromeWithering Abalone Syndrome
Withering abalone syndrome is a disease of the abalone shellfish, primarily found in the black and red abalone species.First described in 1986, it is caused by the bacterium "Candidatus Xenohaliotis californiensis", which attacks the lining of the abalone's digestive tract, inhibiting the...
or abalone wasting disease, leading to mass mortality.
Threats and conservation
Pink abalone are threatened by historic overharvesting, illegal harvest, the 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 a Abalone Recovery Management Plan to guide conservation efforts.The pink abalone is a U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service
National Marine Fisheries Service
The National Marine Fisheries Service is a United States federal agency. A division of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Department of Commerce, NMFS is responsible for the stewardship and management of the nation's living marine resources and their habitat within the...
Species of Concern. Species of Concern are those species about which the U.S. Government’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration , pronounced , like "noah", is a scientific agency within the United States Department of Commerce focused on the conditions of the oceans and the atmosphere...
, 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.S. Endangered Species Act (ESA).
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.