Abalone

Abalone

Abalone are special kinds of sea snails. They have flat, ear-shaped shells that shine with a beautiful material called nacre. Their shells have tiny holes to help them breathe.

People around the world enjoy eating abalone. It is a tasty treat and can be eaten raw or cooked in many ways. There are about 70 different kinds of abalone. Some are small, but the biggest ones can grow up to 12 inches long. Abalone live in oceans all around the world, from cold waters to warm ones.

Abalone has many different names. In the United Kingdom, it is called ormer. In South Africa, it is called perlemoen, and in New Zealand, it is called pāua. Their shells are very beautiful and are often used to make decorations or jewelry.

Abalone shells are shaped like an ear and have a shiny, colorful inside. They stick tightly to rocks in the ocean and eat seaweed. People often use their beautiful shells as ornaments. Abalone can be as small as 20 mm or as large as 300 mm.

Abalone live in coastal waters around the world, on every continent except the Pacific coast of South America, the Atlantic coast of North America, the Arctic, and Antarctica. Most abalone species prefer cold waters, such as those near New Zealand, South Africa, Australia, Western North America, and Japan.