Abalone

Abalone; Temporal range:
	Living abalone in tank showing epipodium and tentacles, anterior end to the right
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Vetigastropoda
Order:	Lepetellida
Superfamily:	Haliotoidea
Family:	Haliotidae; Rafinesque, 1815
Genus:	Haliotis; Linnaeus, 1758
Type species
	Haliotis asinina; Linnaeus, 1758
Synonyms
	Euhaliotis Wenz, 1938; Eurotis Habe & Kosuge, 1964; Exohaliotis Cotton & Godfrey, 1933; Haliotis (Haliotis) Linnaeus, 1758; Haliotis (Marinauris) Iredale, 1937; Haliotis (Nordotis) Habe & Kosuge, 1964; Haliotis (Notohaliotis) Cotton & Godfrey, 1933; Haliotis (Padollus) Montfort, 1810; Haliotis (Paua) C. Fleming, 1953; Haliotis (Sulculus) H. Adams & A. Adams, 1854; Marinauris Iredale, 1927; Neohaliotis Cotton & Godfrey, 1933; Nordotis Habe & Kosuge, 1964; Notohaliotis Cotton & Godfrey, 1933; Ovinotis Cotton, 1943; Padollus Montfort, 1810; Paua C. Fleming, 1953; Sanhaliotis Iredale, 1929; Schismotis Gray, 1856; Teinotis H. Adams & A. Adams, 1854; Tinotis P. Fischer, 1885 (invalid: unjustified emendation of Teinotis); Usahaliotis Habe & Kosuge, 1964;

Abalone (/ˈæbəloʊni/ ^ⓘ or /ˌæbəˈloʊni/; via Spanish abulón, from Rumsen aulón), in singular "an abalone", are sea snails in the genus Haliotis, the only genus in the family Haliotidae. Abalone shells are distinctive for their flattened, ear-like shape, nacreous interior, and row of holes used for respiration. The flesh of abalone is widely considered to be a delicacy, and is consumed raw or cooked by a variety of cuisines. Abalone are globally distributed, with approximately 70 known species alive today. Though some species are small, the largest abalone can attain a length of 12 inches (300 mm).