Haliotis Rufescens

Haliotis rufescens, commonly called the red abalone, and also known simply as abalone or, regionally, ormer or paua, is a large edible sea snail in the family Haliotidae. It is the largest abalone species in the world, with a shell reaching a maximum length of about 31 centimeters; the dome shaped shell is typically brick red on the outside, has three to four slightly raised respiratory holes, and shows a strongly iridescent interior with a prominent muscle scar. It lives in rocky habitats within kelp forests, where adults feed on giant kelp, feather boa kelp, and bull kelp, while juveniles eat coralline algae, bacteria, and diatoms; it occurs from the intertidal zone to depths of more than 180 meters, though it is most common between 6 and 40 meters. Its range extends from British Columbia in Canada to Baja California in Mexico, with the greatest abundance in the southern part of that range, and it is the largest and most common abalone found in the northern part of California. Red abalone has been harvested since prehistoric times, with shells found at Channel Island archaeological sites dated to nearly 12,000 years old, and the indigenous Chumash people used both its meat and its shell for food, tools, and ornaments.