#oceean

@change-up-lozers.

Haliotis rufescens better known as the Red Abalone is a species of critically endangered and very large edible sea snail in the family Haliotidae which is native to the pacific coast of North America from British Columbia Canada to Baja California Mexico. Red Abalone live in rocky coastal areas up to 590ft (180m) deep, which are often dominated by kelp such as kelp forests. Here abalone feed upon various species of kelp, coralline algae, bacteria, and diatoms. Red abalone are themselves eaten by various fish (particularly stingrays and wrasses), octopi, lobsters, and sea stars. Reaching upwards of 12 inches (31cms) in shell length, the red abalone is the largest species of abalone. The shell is large, thick, dome-shaped, and usually covered with barnacles, vegetation, or other marine growth making the color and shell sculpture difficult to determine. It is usually a dull brick red color externally. Typically the shell has three to four slightly raised oval holes or respiratory pores, although specimens with no holes and others with more than four have been found. These holes collectively make up what is known as the selenizone which form as the shell grows. The inside of the shell appears polished and is strongly iridescent. Below the edge of the shell, the black epipodium and tentacles can be seen. The underside of the foot is yellowish white in color. In the northern part of there range breeding occurs from april to july, in the southern part of there range breeding may occur year round. Broadcast spawning occurs as eggs and sperm are flushed out into the water through the pores in the abalone shells. At first spawning a young female broadcasts only a few thousand eggs; whereas a large adult spawns as many as six million eggs. The eggs hatch after 24 hours with the larvae being free swimming for roughly a week before they sink to the bottom and begin growing out there shells. Under ideal conditions a red abalone may live up to 35 years.

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Ellen Hopkins

Sunset at Pasbebiac by mclement9748