Green ormer | |
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Black and white underwater photo of Haliotis tuberculata coccinea showing its tentacles extended | |
Scientific classification | |
Domain: | Eukaryota |
Kingdom: | Animalia |
Phylum: | Mollusca |
Class: | Gastropoda |
Subclass: | Vetigastropoda |
Order: | Lepetellida |
Family: | Haliotidae |
Genus: | Haliotis |
Species: | H. tuberculata |
Binomial name | |
Haliotis tuberculata | |
Subspecies [2] | |
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Synonyms [2] | |
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The green ormer (Haliotis tuberculata) is a northeast Atlantic and Mediterranean species of sea snail, a coastal marine gastropod mollusc in the family Haliotidae, the abalone or ormer snails. [2]
The flesh of the green ormer is prized as a delicacy, and this has led to a decline in its population in some areas.
Haliotis barbouriFoster, 1946 is a synonym for Haliotis varia. [3] [4]
According to the World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) the following subspecies are recognized: [2]
The shell of this species grows as large as 10 cm (3.9 in) in length and 6.5 cm (2.6 in) in width. This flattened, oval shell is an ear-shaped spiral with a mottled outer surface. At the bottom margin of the shell, there is a curving row of five to seven slightly raised respiratory apertures, through which the mantle extends with short, exhalant siphons. As the animal and the shell grow, new holes are formed and the older holes are sealed off. These holes collectively make up what is known as the selenizone, which forms as the shell grows. The inner surface of the shell has a thick layer of iridescent mother-of-pearl.
The large and muscular foot has numerous tentacles at the epipodium (the lateral grooves between the foot and the mantle).
This species occurs on rocky shores in European waters from the Mediterranean Sea as far north as the Channel Islands; [5] elsewhere in the Atlantic Ocean it occurs off the Canary Islands and West Africa.
The green ormer grazes on algae, especially sea lettuce. It breeds in summer, via external fertilisation.
Ormers are considered a great delicacy in the Channel Islands. Overfishing has led to a dramatic depletion in numbers since the latter half of the 19th century.
"Ormering" is now strictly regulated in order to preserve stocks. The gathering of ormers is now restricted to a number of "ormering tides", from January 1 to April 30, which occur on the full or new moon and two days following that. No ormers may be taken from the beach that are under 80 mm in shell length (90 mm in Jersey). Gatherers are not allowed to wear wetsuits or even put their heads underwater. Any breach of these laws is a criminal offence which can lead to a fine of up to £5,000 or six months in prison.
The demand for ormers is such that they led to the world's first underwater arrest, when a Mr. Kempthorne-Leigh of Guernsey was illegally diving for ormers, and was arrested by a police officer in full diving gear.[ citation needed ]
Abalone is a common name for any small to very large marine gastropod mollusc in the family Haliotidae, which once contained six genera but now contains only one genus, Haliotis. Other common names are ear shells, sea ears, and, now rarely, muttonfish or muttonshells in parts of Australia, ormer in the United Kingdom, perlemoen in South Africa, and pāua in New Zealand. The number of abalone species recognized worldwide ranges between 30 and 130 with over 230 species-level taxa described. The most comprehensive treatment of the family considers 56 species valid, with 18 additional subspecies.
Tulip snail or tulip shell is the common name for eight species of large, predatory, subtropical and tropical sea snails from the Western Atlantic. These species are in the genus Fasciolaria. They are marine gastropod mollusks in the family Fasciolariidae, the spindle shells, tulip shells and their allies.
Trochus is a genus of medium-to large-sized, top-shaped sea snails with an operculum, of the family Trochidae, the top snails.
Thais, sometimes known by the common names dog winkles or rock shells, is a genus of medium to large predatory sea snails with an operculum, marine gastropod molluscs in the family Muricidae.
Haliotis asinina, common name the ass's-ear abalone, is a fairly large species of sea snail, a tropical gastropod mollusk in the family Haliotidae, the abalone, also known as ormers or pāua. Both the common name and the scientific name are based on the shape of the shell, which is long, narrow and curved, resembling the shape of a donkey's ear.
Pleurotomariacea is one of two names that are used for a taxonomic superfamily of sea snails that are an ancient lineage and are well represented in the fossil record. The name Pleurotomariacea is used by paleontologists, who, because they usually have only the hard parts of mollusks to study, often use a slightly different scheme of classification from that used by scientists who study living mollusks.
Fissurella is a genus of small to medium-sized sea snails or limpets, marine gastropod mollusks in the subfamily Fissurellinae of the family Fissurellidae, the keyhole limpets.
The blacklip abalone, Haliotis rubra, is an Australian species of large, edible sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Haliotidae, the abalone.
Haliotis cyclobates, common name the whirling abalone or the circular ear shell, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Haliotidae, the abalone.
Haliotis diversicolor, common name the variously coloured abalone, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Haliotidae, the abalone.
Haliotis fatui is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Haliotidae, the abalone.
Haliotis glabra, commonly called glistening abalone, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Haliotidae, the abalones.
Haliotis rugosa pustulata is a subspecies of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Haliotidae, the abalones.
Haliotis rubiginosa, common name the Lord Howe abalone, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Haliotidae, the abalones.
Haliotis rugosa, common name the many-holed abalone, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Haliotidae, the abalones.
Haliotis stomatiaeformis is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Haliotidae, the abalones. It is endemic to a small portion of the Mediterranean Sea, off the coasts of Sicily and Malta.
Haliotis parva, common name the canaliculate abalone, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Haliotidae, the abalones.
Haliotis varia, common name the variable abalone or the common ear shell, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Haliotidae, the abalones.
Haliotis, common name abalone, is the only genus in the family Haliotidae.