abalone

Abalone ( or ; via Spanish , from Rumsen aulón), in singular "an abalone", are sea snails in the genus Haliotis, the only genus in the family Haliotidae. Abalone shells are distinctive for their flattened, ear-like shape, nacreous interior, and row of holes used for respiration. The flesh of abalone is widely considered to be a delicacy, and is consumed raw or cooked by a variety of cuisines. Abalone are globally distributed, with approximately 70 known species alive today. Though some species are small, the largest abalone can attain a length of .

==Names== Other common names for abalone 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.