Haliotis virginea facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Haliotis virginea
External view of a shell of Haliotis virginea
Scientific classification
Synonyms
Haliotis marmorata Linnaeus, 1758 Haliotis (Haliotis) gibba Philippi, R.A., 1846 Haliotis (Haliotis) marmorata Reeve, L.A., 1846 (junior homonym) Haliotis (Haliotis) subvirginea Weinkauff, H.C., 1883 Haliotis virginea virginea Gmelin, 1791 · accepted, alternate representation Haliotis (Paua) virginea Gmelin, 1791

Haliotis virginea, Virgin Paua, is a species of edible sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Haliotidae, the abalones.

Subspecies

• Haliotis virginea crispata Gould, 1847
• Haliotis virginea huttoni Filhol, 1880
• Haliotis virginea morioria Powell, 1938
• Haliotis virginea stewartae Jones & Owen, 2004

External view of a shell

Internal view of a shell

Description

The size of the shell varies between 30 mm and 75 mm.

Distribution

This marine species is endemic to New Zealand.

Human use

Haliotis virginea and other two Haliotis species are known as "paua" in New Zealand and are a restricted food source.