Gastropods

color variations southern form - H. kamtschatkana assimilis

Haliotis kamtschatkana kamtschatkana Jonas, 1845
Northern Abalone
very low intertidal to 35m size to 18cm
northern Mexico to southern Alaska; Japan; Siberia
This is an endangered species which has been severely overharvested and is still illegally poached. It is now rarely seen except by divers. The color can range from orange to red to green. It has a pronounced spire and an irregular, wavy/knobby sculpture. It is the most northerly occurring abalone. Haliotis assimilis, the Threaded Abalone, was found to be genetically the same. It now falls under the name H. kamtschatkana assimilis. The sculpture is dominated more by low ribs and it occurs in the southern part of the range - northern Mexico to southern California.

Haliotis walallensis Stearns, 1898
Flat Abalone
very low intertidal to 21m size to 17.5cm
California to Oregon
Some historic reports record this species from BC but it has not been seen recently and previous records are unconfirmed. It is generally dark red with green markings. It has a flat spire and low profile with low ribs for sculpture.

Family Haliotidae