Glistering Abalone
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Haliotis glabra |
| Common Name | Glistening Abalone (also known as the Smooth Ear Shell) |
| Distribution | Found throughout the tropical Indo-West Pacific, primarily extending from the Philippines across to Northern Australia. |
| Habitat | Coral reef flats, shallow coastal lagoons, and the undersides of smooth limestone boulders or dead coral slabs. |
| Depth Range | 1 to 25 metres (most frequently observed in shallow subtidal waters under 10 metres). |
| Average Size | 2.5 to 4 centimetres. |
| Maximum Size | 5.5 centimetres. |
| Commercial Status | Non Commercial. |
| Key Characteristics | This small species is highly distinct for its remarkably smooth, oval shell that lacks the heavy sculpturing, ridges, or scales typical of most abalones. Its exterior surface is whitish-green, heavily mottled with clear, arrow-shaped spots of dark olive or emerald green. The shell margin features 6 to 8 small respiratory pores with completely flat, unraised edges, whilst the interior is lined with a highly reflective, silvery nacre. |
About Glistening Abalone
The Glistening Abalone (Haliotis glabra) is a diminutive, visually elegant gastropod mollusc native to the warm, tropical marine environments of Northern Australia and Southeast Asia. Uniquely breaking away from the heavily rugged, corrugated morphology of its family members, its defining hallmark is a smooth, polished shell exterior that allows it to easily slip through narrow coral gaps. Because its tiny maximum size falls well short of commercial edible fishery requirements, it remains entirely untouched by industrial harvest networks. Instead, its uniquely smooth texture and intricate, arrow-like camouflage patterns make it a highly coveted treasure for beachcombers and international shell collectors.
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