Scaly Australian Abalone
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Haliotis diversicolor squamata |
| Common Name | Scaly Australian Abalone |
| Distribution | Recorded from northern Australia and the wider Indo-Pacific region, including tropical reef areas of Southeast Asia. |
| Habitat | Found in warm, shallow reef environments, usually on coral rubble, rocky surfaces, reef crevices, and algae-covered substrate. |
| Depth Range | Shallow reef waters. |
| Average Size | 5 to 7 centimetres. |
| Maximum Size | Around 8 to 10 centimetres. |
| Commercial Status | Minor commercial interest overseas / Non-commercial in Australia. |
| Key Characteristics | This small tropical abalone has an oval, ear-shaped shell with a patterned and textured outer surface. Its shell is often mottled with brown, green, cream, orange or reddish tones, helping it blend into reef and rubble habitats. The shell edge carries a row of open respiratory pores, and the exterior can appear scaly or rough compared with smoother abalone species. |
About Scaly Australian Abalone
The Scaly Australian Abalone (Haliotis diversicolor squamata) is a small, decorative tropical abalone associated with warm reef environments across northern Australia and the wider Indo-Pacific. Unlike the larger southern species that support Australia’s major commercial abalone fisheries, this species is much smaller and is not a significant seafood species in Australia. It lives among coral rubble, rocky crevices and algae-covered reef surfaces, where its mottled shell pattern helps it blend into the surrounding habitat. For shell collectors and marine biodiversity records, it is mainly recognised for its compact ear-shaped shell, rough scaly surface and colourful markings.