Haliotis sorenseni

Last updated

Haliotis sorenseni
Whiteabalone 300.jpg
A live individual of Haliotis sorenseni, left of center. The shell and the rock are covered with red coralline algae.
Scientific classification OOjs UI icon edit-ltr.svg
Domain: Eukaryota
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Mollusca
Class: Gastropoda
Subclass: Vetigastropoda
Order: Lepetellida
Superfamily: Haliotoidea
Family: Haliotidae
Genus: Haliotis
Species:
H. sorenseni
Binomial name
Haliotis sorenseni
Bartsch, 1940

The white abalone, scientific name Haliotis sorenseni, is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Haliotidae, the abalones. [2]

Contents

The white abalone is an endangered species in the United States; it may now have the smallest population of all eight of the abalone species on the west coast of North America.

Distribution

A map of the distribution of the White abalone, Haliotis sorenseni White abalone range.jpg
A map of the distribution of the White abalone, Haliotis sorenseni

Historically the white abalone ranged from Point Conception, California to Baja California, Mexico, and was found especially on the offshore islands. [3]

In the most northerly part of the California range, white abalone were reported as being more common along the mainland coast. However, in the middle portion of the California range, they were noted to occur more frequently at the offshore islands, especially San Clemente and Santa Catalina Islands. At the more southerly end of the range, in Baja California, Mexico, white abalone were reported to occur more commonly along the mainland coast, but were also found at a number of islands including Isla Cedros and Isla Natividad. [3]

It remains unknown whether this distribution pattern was a result of lack of suitable habitat along the mainland coast in the mid portion of the range, or was instead due to overfishing in these more accessible mainland regions. [3]

Since the mid-1990s, extremely low numbers of isolated survivors have been identified along the mainland coast in Santa Barbara County and at some of the offshore islands and banks in the middle portion of the range, indicating the current range of white abalone in California may be similar to what it was historically. [3]

No recent information on current range is available for Baja California. The white abalone population in Mexico is thought to be depleted based on commercial fishery data, but the status of the species in Mexico remains largely unknown. [3]

Description

Two White Abalones. Left: dorsal view; Right: ventral view, showing the large muscular foot White abalone Haliotis sorenseni.jpg
Two White Abalones. Left: dorsal view; Right: ventral view, showing the large muscular foot

Shell

The white abalone usually has between 3-5 open holes (respiratory pores) in its shell. These holes collectively make up what is known as the selenizone which form as the shell grows. The shell is oval-shaped, very thin and deep. White abalone can grow to about 10 in (25 cm), but are usually 5–8 in (13–20 cm). [3]

Anatomy

The epipodial tentacles are lacy, beige and yellow-green in color. The bottom of its foot is orange, and the epipodium (a sensory structure and extension of the foot that bears tentacles) is a mottled orange tan. [3]

Ecology

Habitat

The white abalone is the deepest dwelling of eight species of California abalones, living at depths from 80 to 200 ft (24–61 m). [3] White abalone are found in open low and high relief rock or boulder habitat that is interspersed with sand channels. Sand channels may be important for the movement and concentration of drift macroalgae, and a variety of red algae, upon which white abalone are known to feed. [3]

Feeding habits

The white abalone is known to be a herbivore, grazing mainly on macroalgae, such as Laminaria farlowii and Agarum fimbriatum , and also several species of red algae. [3] Other species it eats include Chondracanthus exasperatus , Laminaria farlowii , Macrocystis pyrifera , and Palmaria mollis . [4]

Life cycle

Like many gastropods, white abalone have a complex life cycle involving larval stages. Fertilized eggs hatch into larvae; these larvae eventually metamorphose into the adult form and settle from the plankton to a hard substrate. [3] As broadcast spawning gastropods, white abalone reproduce by releasing their eggs and sperm into the surrounding water. If fertilized, the eggs hatch after only one day, but high concentrations of sperm are required in order for an egg to be fertilized. Therefore, aggregations of adult male and female abalone are necessary for successful fertilization to occur. [3]

California Commercial White Abalone Haliotis sorenseni Landings for 1972-1992. The price exponentially increased as catch decreased. Even taking fishing effort into account, the volume of abalones fished is inversely proportional to the price (power regression model, F40,2 = 139.96; p < 0.0001).
open squares - commercial catch per unit effort
left y axis - thousands of pounds of shell per vessel
filled circles - price of Haliotis sorenseni
right y axis - US$ per pound. Haliotis sorenseni 2.png
California Commercial White Abalone Haliotis sorenseni Landings for 1972–1992. The price exponentially increased as catch decreased. Even taking fishing effort into account, the volume of abalones fished is inversely proportional to the price (power regression model, F40,2 = 139.96; p < 0.0001).
open squares - commercial catch per unit effort
left y axis - thousands of pounds of shell per vessel
filled circles - price of Haliotis sorenseni
right y axis - US$ per pound.

Human use

Scripps Institution of Oceanography biologists conducted surveys of white abalone deep water habitat in the early 1970s, finding high concentrations of about one white abalone per square yard. Such densities were comparable to abundance of shallower species of abalone found in previously unfished or protected areas. Unfortunately, the high demand for the species led to a "boom-and-bust" fishery, which decimated the populations of this species in seven years.

Considered a delicacy in California, white abalones, the rarest of the six abalone species in the state, have declined by over 99.99% due to increasing overfishing, in part illegal the fishery was closed in 1996 while at the same time, prices have escalated. Although white abalones were the first marine invertebrate on the United States Federal List of Endangered Species in 2001, the species could nevertheless become extinct unless extraordinary recovery measures are implemented. [5] White abalone is being maricultured in order to produce young that can be placed back in the ocean, in hopes of bringing this species back to secure population levels before it becomes extinct. The White Abalone Restoration Consortium is a partnership with The Cultured Abalone Farm, the Santa Barbara Museum of Natural History Sea Center and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Southwest Fisheries Science Center on the Gaviota Coast which is studying the marine snail and restoring the wild populations. They are also collaborating in developing curriculum to educate the next generation about sustainable aquaculture and conservation. [6]

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 of a group of small to very large marine gastropod molluscs in the family Haliotidae, which contains only one genus Haliotis. Other common names are ear shells, sea ears, and, rarely, muttonfish or muttonshells in parts of Australia, ormer in the UK, 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.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Channel Islands (California)</span> Archipelago off the coast of southern California, US

The Channel Islands are an eight-island archipelago located within the Southern California Bight in the Pacific Ocean, off the coast of California. The four Northern Channel Islands are part of the Transverse Ranges geologic province, and the four Southern Channel Islands are part of the Peninsular Ranges province. Five of the islands are within the Channel Islands National Park, and the waters surrounding these islands make up Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary. The Nature Conservancy was instrumental in establishing the Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary.

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

Haliotis cracherodii, the black abalone, is a species of large edible sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Haliotidae, the abalones.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Kelp forest</span> Underwater areas with a high density of kelp

Kelp forests are underwater areas with a high density of kelp, which covers a large part of the world's coastlines. Smaller areas of anchored kelp are called kelp beds. They are recognized as one of the most productive and dynamic ecosystems on Earth. Although algal kelp forest combined with coral reefs only cover 0.1% of Earth's total surface, they account for 0.9% of global primary productivity. Kelp forests occur worldwide throughout temperate and polar coastal oceans. In 2007, kelp forests were also discovered in tropical waters near Ecuador.

<i>Laminaria</i> Genus of algae

Laminaria is a genus of brown seaweed in the order Laminariales (kelp), comprising 31 species native to the north Atlantic and northern Pacific Oceans. This economically important genus is characterized by long, leathery laminae and relatively large size. Some species are called Devil's apron, due to their shape, or sea colander, due to the perforations present on the lamina. Others are referred to as tangle. Laminaria form a habitat for many fish and invertebrates.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Pacific ocean perch</span> Species of fish

The Pacific ocean perch, also known as the Pacific rockfish, rose fish, red bream or red perch, is a fish whose range spans across the North Pacific : from southern California around the Pacific rim to northern Honshū, Japan, including the Bering Sea. The species appears to be most abundant in northern British Columbia, the Gulf of Alaska, and the Aleutian Islands.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Elkhorn coral</span> Species of coral

Elkhorn coral is an important reef-building coral in the Caribbean. The species has a complex structure with many branches which resemble that of elk antlers; hence, the common name. The branching structure creates habitat and shelter for many other reef species. Elkhorn coral is known to grow quickly with an average growth rate of 5 to 10 cm per year. They can reproduce both sexually and asexually, though asexual reproduction is much more common and occurs through a process called fragmentation.

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

Haliotis kamtschatkana, common name the northern abalone, threaded abalone, or pinto abalone, is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Haliotidae, the abalones.

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

Haliotis rufescens is a species of very large edible sea snail in the family Haliotidae, the abalones, ormers (British) or pāua. It is distributed from British Columbia, Canada, to Baja California, Mexico. It is most common in the southern half of its range.

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

The pink abalone, scientific name Haliotis corrugata, is a species of large edible sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Haliotidae, the abalones.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Fishing industry in the United States</span>

As with other countries, the 200 nautical miles (370 km) exclusive economic zone (EEZ) off the coast of the United States gives its fishing industry special fishing rights. It covers 11.4 million square kilometres, which is the second largest zone in the world, exceeding the land area of the United States.

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

Haliotis pourtalesii, common name Pourtale's abalone, is a rare species of deepwater sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Haliotidae, the abalones.

<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 abalones.

<i>Norrisia norrisii</i> Species of gastropod

The marine snail Norrisia norrisii is a medium-sized gastropod mollusk within the family Tegulidae. It has several common names, including Norris's top snail, Norris's topsnail, norrissnail, smooth brown turban snail, or kelp snail. It was first described by G.B. Sowerby I under the name Trochiscus norrisii. It is the only species in the genus Norrisia.

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

Haliotis fulgens, commonly called the green abalone, is a species of large sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Haliotidae, the abalones. The shell of this species is usually brown, and is marked with many low, flat-topped ribs which run parallel to the five to seven open respiratory pores that are elevated above the shell's surface. The inside of the shell is an iridescent blue and green.

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

Haliotis clathrata, common name the lovely abalone, is a species of sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusc in the family Haliotidae, the abalones.

<i>Sicyonia brevirostris</i> Species of crustacean

Sicyonia brevirostris, the brown rock shrimp, is a species of prawn. It is found along the coasts of the western Atlantic Ocean and Gulf of Mexico from Norfolk, Virginia to Yucatán, including Cuba and the Bahamas. It is used in cooking and has a taste and texture similar to lobster. They get their name from their hard outer shell which is "hard as a rock".

<i>Kelletia kelletii</i> Species of gastropod

Kelletia kelletii, common name Kellet's whelk, is a species of large sea snail, a whelk, a marine gastropod mollusc in the whelk family Austrosiphonidae.

<i>Haliotis</i> Genus of gastropods

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

<i>Chondracanthus exasperatus</i> Species of alga

Chondracanthus exasperatus, commonly called Turkish towel, is a species of seaweed in the family Gigartinaceae. The specific epithet exasperatus refers to the bumpy texture of the blades. This texture also leads to the common name which evokes the luxurious feel of a towel from a Turkish bath. The rough, papillae-strewn blade surface even makes it difficult to measure the temperature using infrared thermometers.

References

Sources
Notes
  1. Peters, H., Rogers-Bennett, L. (2021). "Haliotis sorenseni". IUCN Red List of Threatened Species . 2021: e.T78771696A78772593. doi: 10.2305/IUCN.UK.2021-1.RLTS.T78771696A78772593.en .{{cite journal}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. Rosenberg, G. (2014). Haliotis sorenseni. Accessed through: World Register of Marine Species at http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=445362 on 2014-10-29
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 "NOAA Fisheries - White Abalone (Haliotis sorenseni)". National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (USA). 5 May 2017. Retrieved 2009-10-21.
  4. McCormick, Thomas B.; Navas, Gabriela; Buckley, Lorraine M.; Biggs, Christopher (December 2016). "Effect of Temperature, Diet, Light, and Cultivation Density on Growth and Survival of Larval and Juvenile White Abalone Haliotis sorenseni (Bartsch, 1940)". Journal of Shellfish Research (Submitted manuscript). 35 (4): 981–992. doi: 10.2983/035.035.0421 . ISSN   0730-8000. OCLC   6907956712.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Courchamp F., Angulo E., Rivalan P., Hall R. J., Signoret L., Bull L. & Meinard Y. (2006) "Rarity Value and Species Extinction: The Anthropogenic Allee Effect". PLoS Biology4(12): e415. doi : 10.1371/journal.pbio.0040415
  6. Mason, Dave (2021-09-15). "Learning first-hand about conservation". Santa Barbara News-Press. Retrieved 2022-01-08.