Haliotis iris facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Haliotis iris |
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| A shell of Haliotis iris | |
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Haliotis (Paua) iris Gmelin, 1791 |
Haliotis iris, commonly called paua, blackfoot paua, or rainbow abalone, is a type of edible sea snail. It is a marine gastropod mollusk in the abalone family, Haliotidae.
Where Paua Live
This sea snail is found only in New Zealand. The blackfoot paua is the biggest abalone species in New Zealand. You can usually find them in shallow, cool waters, less than 6 meters deep. They live all around mainland New Zealand, Stewart Island, and the Chatham Islands. These snails often gather in large groups in rocky areas along open coasts. They like places where seaweed drifts and the water moves well. Blackfoot paua can grow to about 180 mm across their shell.
What Paua Look Like
Paua belong to the mollusk group called Haliotis. This name comes from Greek and means "sea ear." This is because their shell looks a bit like an ear!
New Zealand has three types of abalone:
- Blackfoot paua (Haliotis iris)
- Yellowfoot paua (Haliotis australis)
- Whitefoot paua (Haliotis virginea)
The shell of the blackfoot paua can be between 80 mm and 170 mm long. Its shell is oval and rounded on top. The top part, called the spire, is very short. It has two whorls and five to seven small holes. The outside of the shell feels bumpy.
The inside of the shell is a beautiful dark metallic blue and green. It also has shiny yellow parts. The outside of the shell is usually pale brown or light olive-green. It looks like it has small pits or dents. The inside of the spire is very shiny and colorful. It has bright blues and greens, and sometimes purple, orange, and a little red.
How People Use Paua
Haliotis iris is the only type of paua that is farmed in New Zealand. This is because it is much larger than its relatives, the "yellowfoot paua" and the "virgin paua." All three types are often used to make jewelry and carvings in New Zealand. People also trade natural pearls from this species around the world. These are known as Haliotis iris pearls or Paua pearls.
