Haliotis walallensis

Haliotis walallensis, common name the flat abalone, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Haliotidae, abalone.^[2]

Haliotis walallensis
Dorsal view of a shell of H. walallensis
Conservation status
Critically Endangered  (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Vetigastropoda
Order:	Lepetellida
Family:	Haliotidae
Genus:	Haliotis
Species:	H. walallensis
Binomial name
Haliotis walallensis Stearns, 1899
Synonyms[2]
Haliotis fulgens var. walallensis Stearns, 1899

Description

The shell of Haliotis walallensis is ovate and moderately elevated, reaching up to 120 mm in length. The exterior surface shows coarse growth lines and low spiral ridges, with typically five to seven open respiratory pores along the left side. Shell coloration is variable, ranging from reddish-brown to greenish tones with irregular mottling. The interior is strongly nacreous with iridescent green and blue reflections, characteristic of the genus Haliotis.^[3]

Distribution

This marine species occurs in the Pacific Ocean from British Columbia to Southern California. It inhabits rocky substrates in shallow subtidal waters, similar to other species of Haliotis.^[3]