Staircase Abalone
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Scientific Name | Haliotis scalaris |
| Common Name | Staircase Abalone (also known as the Ridged Ear Shell or Grooved Abalone) |
| Distribution | Endemic to the temperate coastal waters of southern and western Australia, stretching from Kalbarri in Western Australia down and around to Victoria and Tasmania. |
| Habitat | Shallow rocky reefs, intertidal platforms, and sublittoral zones, commonly found hidden within algal beds and crustose coralline algae. |
| Depth Range | 0 to 50 metres. |
| Average Size | 6 to 10 centimetres. |
| Maximum Size | 12 centimetres. |
| Commercial Status | Non-commercial species |
| Key Characteristics | This highly ornate species is distinguished by a flattened, oval shell featuring deep, prominent spiral ridges and a structural, stair-like groove running between the spire and its row of holes. Its outer surface displays elaborate, wavy lamellae patterned in reddish-orange or olive-green tones, while the interior is lined with a highly iridescent, rainbow-like nacre. The shell edge typically contains 5 to 6 raised, open respiratory pores |
About Staircase Abalone
The Staircase Abalone (Haliotis scalaris) is widely celebrated by beachcombers and malacologists as one of the most intricately textured and beautiful abalone species in the world. Entirely unique to the southern halves of Australia, this small gastropod plays an important ecological role grazing microalgae across low-tide reef systems. Because its compact biological size falls well short of minimum commercial fishing limits, it is fully bypassed by industries, making empty, intricately stepped shells a rare and prized find for coastal specimen collectors.