Abalone

Abalone; Temporal range:
	Living abalone in tank showing epipodium and tentacles, anterior end to the right
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Vetigastropoda
Order:	Lepetellida
Superfamily:	Haliotoidea
Family:	Haliotidae; Rafinesque, 1815
Genus:	Haliotis; Linnaeus, 1758
Type species
	Haliotis asinina; Linnaeus, 1758
Synonyms
	Euhaliotis Wenz, 1938; Eurotis Habe & Kosuge, 1964; Exohaliotis Cotton & Godfrey, 1933; Haliotis (Haliotis) Linnaeus, 1758; Haliotis (Marinauris) Iredale, 1937; Haliotis (Nordotis) Habe & Kosuge, 1964; Haliotis (Notohaliotis) Cotton & Godfrey, 1933; Haliotis (Padollus) Montfort, 1810; Haliotis (Paua) C. Fleming, 1953; Haliotis (Sulculus) H. Adams & A. Adams, 1854; Marinauris Iredale, 1927; Neohaliotis Cotton & Godfrey, 1933; Nordotis Habe & Kosuge, 1964; Notohaliotis Cotton & Godfrey, 1933; Ovinotis Cotton, 1943; Padollus Montfort, 1810; Paua C. Fleming, 1953; Sanhaliotis Iredale, 1929; Schismotis Gray, 1856; Teinotis H. Adams & A. Adams, 1854; Tinotis P. Fischer, 1885 (invalid: unjustified emendation of Teinotis); Usahaliotis Habe & Kosuge, 1964;

Abalone (mass noun; /ˈæbəloʊni/ ^ⓘ or /ˌæbəˈloʊni/; via Spanish abulón, from Rumsen aulón) are sea snails in the genus Haliotis, the only genus in the family Haliotidae. Abalone shells are distinctive for their flattened, ear-like shape, nacreous interior, and row of holes used for respiration. The flesh of abalone is widely considered to be a delicacy, and is consumed raw or cooked in a variety of cuisines. Abalone are globally distributed, with approximately 70 known species alive today. Though some species are small, the largest abalone can attain a length of 12 inches (300 mm).