Green ormer

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Green ormer
Haliotis tuberculata coccinea.jpg
Black and white underwater photo of Haliotis tuberculata coccinea showing its tentacles extended
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
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]
  • Haliotis tuberculata coccinea Reeve, 1846
  • Haliotis tuberculata fernandesi Owen, Grace, & Afonso
  • Haliotis tuberculata marmorata Linnaeus, 1758
  • Haliotis tuberculata tuberculata Linnaeus, 1758
Synonyms [2]
    • Haliotis adriatica Nardo, 1847
    • Haliotis canariensis F. Nordsieck, 1975
    • Haliotis coccinea Reeve, 1846
    • Haliotis lamellosa Lamarck, 1822
    • Haliotis lamellosa var. auriculata Monterosato, 1888
    • Haliotis lamellosa var. marmorata Pallary, 1900
    • Haliotis lamellosa var. planata Monterosato, 1888
    • Haliotis lamellosa var. producta Monterosato, 1888
    • Haliotis lamellosa var. rubra Pallary, 1900
    • Haliotis lamellosa var. viridis Pallary, 1900
    • Haliotis marmorata Costa O.G., 1829
    • Haliotis reticulata var. bisundata Monterosato, 1884
    • Haliotis speciosa Reeve, 1846
    • Haliotis tuberculata canariensis F. Nordsieck, 1975
    • Haliotis tuberculata coccinea Reeve, 1846
    • Haliotis tuberculata lamellosa Lamarck, 1822
    • Haliotis zealandica Reeve, 1846

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]

Contents

The flesh of the green ormer is prized as a delicacy, and this has led to a decline in its population in some areas.

Drawing of a live specimen of Haliotis tuberculata; right side view: d, foot; i, tentacular process of the mantle, passing through the shell-foramina Haliotis tuberculata 007.jpg
Drawing of a live specimen of Haliotis tuberculata; right side view: d, foot; i, tentacular process of the mantle, passing through the shell-foramina

Taxonomy

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]

A shell of Haliotis tuberculata Haliotis tuberculata tuberculata.jpg
A shell of Haliotis tuberculata

Shell description

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).

Distribution

A Green ormer in captivity. Haliotis tuberculata alive.jpg
A Green ormer in captivity.

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.

Feeding habits

The green ormer grazes on algae, especially sea lettuce. It breeds in summer, via external fertilisation.

Human use

In the Channel Islands

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 ]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Abalone</span> Common name for a group of sea snails

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.

<i>Fasciolaria</i> Genus of gastropods

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.

<i>Trochus</i> Genus of gastropods

Trochus is a genus of medium-to large-sized, top-shaped sea snails with an operculum, of the family Trochidae, the top snails.

<i>Thais</i> (gastropod) Genus of gastropods

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.

<i>Haliotis asinina</i> Species of gastropod

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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pleurotomariacea</span> Superfamily of molluscs

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.

<i>Fissurella</i> Genus of gastropods

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.

<i>Haliotis rubra</i> Species of gastropod

The blacklip abalone, Haliotis rubra, is an Australian species of large, edible sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Haliotidae, the abalone.

<i>Haliotis cyclobates</i> Species of gastropod

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.

<i>Haliotis diversicolor</i> Species of gastropod

Haliotis diversicolor, common name the variously coloured abalone, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Haliotidae, the abalone.

<i>Haliotis fatui</i> Species of gastropod

Haliotis fatui is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Haliotidae, the abalone.

<i>Haliotis glabra</i> Species of gastropod

Haliotis glabra, commonly called glistening abalone, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Haliotidae, the abalones.

<i>Haliotis rugosa pustulata</i> Subspecies of gastropod

Haliotis rugosa pustulata is a subspecies of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Haliotidae, the abalones.

<i>Haliotis rubiginosa</i> Species of gastropod

Haliotis rubiginosa, common name the Lord Howe abalone, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Haliotidae, the abalones.

<i>Haliotis rugosa</i> Species of gastropod

Haliotis rugosa, common name the many-holed abalone, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Haliotidae, the abalones.

<i>Haliotis stomatiaeformis</i> Species of gastropod

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.

<i>Haliotis parva</i> Species of gastropod

Haliotis parva, common name the canaliculate abalone, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Haliotidae, the abalones.

<i>Haliotis varia</i> Species of gastropod

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.

<i>Haliotis</i> Genus of gastropods

Haliotis, common name abalone, is the only genus in the family Haliotidae.

References

  1. Peters, H. (2021). "Haliotis tuberculata". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2021. IUCN: e.T78772221A78772628. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-3.RLTS.T78772221A78772628.en .
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Haliotis tuberculata". WoRMS. World Register of Marine Species . Retrieved 19 June 2022.
  3. Haliotis varia Linnaeus, 1758 Not found in the Western Atlantic. Malacolog Version 4.1.1. A Database of Western Atlantic Marine Mollusca. accessed 23 October 2009
  4. ABMAP. Alphabetical List of All Taxa. The Abalone mapping project. accessed 23 October 2009.
  5. Oliver, A.P.H. (2004). Guide to Seashells of the World. Buffalo: Firefly Books. 22.