Haliotis kamtschatkana

Sometimes two subspecies Haliotis kamtschatkana are recognized, though the World Register of Marine Species treats this species as monotypic: • Haliotis kamtschatkana assimilis Dall, 1878 • Haliotis kamtschatkana kamtschatkana Jonas, 1845 ==Description==

The pinto abalone has an adult shell size of approximately but it can rarely grow as large as . The rather thin shell is flattened and ear-shaped. The surface is covered with uneven spiral cords, often very indistinct, and strongly elevated undulations or lumps. The columellar shelf is narrow, flattened, and sloping inward. The shell has 3 to 6 elevated respiratory holes. These holes collectively make up what is known as the selenizone which form as the shell grows. The silvery interior of the shell is iridescent. The shell is generally green-brown but can have white or blue coloration and has a somewhat scalloped edge. The epipodium is lacy and green-brown in color. Tentacles surrounding the foot and extending out of the shell sense food and predators. ==Distribution==

Pinto abalone are found in kelp beds and in rocky areas in the northeast Pacific Ocean, where they range from Salisbury Sound, Alaska, along the coasts of Canada and contiguous United States to Baja California, Mexico. This is the Pacific abalone species with the widest latitudinal distribution in North America. In Washington State, there was no historical commercial fishing; the recreational fishing closed in 1994 due to declines in abundance. Surveys in the San Juan Islands indicate a decline in density at many sites. Densities at all but one site are below or within the minimum range for successful fertilization. Abalone size has increased between 1996 and 2006 but abundance has not. In Canada, the fishery began in the early 1970s and the peak fishery was in 1977–1978 (400t). Subsequently, there was a population decline and quotas were instituted. As populations did not recover there were continuing quota reductions through 1989 (47.2t) without population response. The fishery was closed in 1990 to all user groups but since the closure, the population decline has continued. ==Habitat==

This species lives on rocky shores. These abalone are found intertidally or subtidally near kelp to 30 feet (9 m) depth, but they can be found to 330 feet (100 m) depth. Like all abalone, they are herbivorous. ==Reproduction==

They broadcast spawn from April to June. Larval dispersal is limited. Lifespan is about 15 years. ==Human use==

Both the consumption and the shells of the pinto abalone have played a role in Tlingit and Haida cultures. ==Conservation==

Population size has declined due to overharvesting, illegal harvesting, predation by recovering sea otters, and disease. The Center for Biological Diversity filed its petition August 1, 2013. On December 29, 2014, NMFS announced its finding that the pinto abalone was not warranted for listing. This species is now endangered according to the International Union for Conservation of Nature, mainly due to uncontrolled harvesting and poaching of the species for food. The state of Washington never permitted commercial harvest and recreation take was outlawed in 1994. The Committee on the Status of Endangered Wildlife in Canada (COSEWIC) has listed it as an endangered species. The Canadian Species at Risk Act listed it in the List of Wildlife Species at Risk as being endangered in Canada. ==References==

• Rosenberg, G. (1992). Encyclopedia of Seashells. Dorset: New York. 224 pp. • Turgeon, D.D., et al. (1998). Common and scientific names of aquatic invertebrates of the United States and Canada. American Fisheries Society Special Publication, 26 pp: 57. • Geiger, D.L. & Poppe, G.T. (2000). A Conchological Iconography: The family Haliotidae. Conchbooks, Hackenheim Germany. 135 pp 83 pls. • Geiger, D.L. & Owen, B. (2012). Abalone: Worldwide Haliotidae. Hackenheim: Conchbooks. viii + 361 pp. ==External links==