Haliotis elegans facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Haliotis elegans |
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| View of a shell of Haliotis elegans | |
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The Haliotis elegans, also known as the elegant abalone, is a type of sea snail. It is a marine mollusk that belongs to the abalone family, called Haliotidae. Abalones are famous for their beautiful, ear-shaped shells.
What Does It Look Like?
The shell of the elegant abalone usually grows to be between 70 and 100 millimeters long. That's about the size of your palm!
Its shell is quite narrow and has many deep grooves that spiral around it. The outside of the shell is a mix of reddish-brown and buff colors, often with patterns like flames or marble.
The inside of the shell is very shiny and pearly. It has light grooves that match the ridges on the outside. The top part of the shell, called the spire, is very short.
This abalone is special because of its long shape and its super shiny, pearly inside. The outside of the shell feels rough because of its strong, raised spiral ridges. These ridges are covered in small scales. Sometimes, there are smaller, weaker ridges between the thicker ones. The shell also has small folds that make it even rougher.
Where Does It Live?
The elegant abalone lives only in the waters off Western Australia. This means you won't find it anywhere else in the world!
