Haliotis virginea
External view of a shell of Haliotis virginea
Conservation status
Least Concern (IUCN 3.1)[1]
Scientific classification
Domain:	Eukaryota
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Gastropoda
Subclass:	Vetigastropoda
Order:	Lepetellida
Family:	Haliotidae
Genus:	Haliotis
Species:	H. virginea
Binomial name
Haliotis virginea Gmelin, 1791
Synonyms
Haliotis marmorata Linnaeus, 1758 Haliotis (Haliotis) gibba Philippi, R.A., 1846 Haliotis (Haliotis) marmorata Reeve, L.A., 1846 (junior homonym) Haliotis (Haliotis) subvirginea Weinkauff, H.C., 1883 Haliotis virginea virginea Gmelin, 1791 · accepted, alternate representation Haliotis (Paua) virginea Gmelin, 1791

Haliotis virginea, Virgin pāua, is a species of edible sea snail, a marine gastropod mollusk in the family Haliotidae, the abalones.^[2]

Description

The size of the shell varies between 30 mm and 75 mm.

Subspecies

• Haliotis virginea crispata Gould, 1847
• Haliotis virginea huttoni Filhol, 1880
• Haliotis virginea morioria Powell, 1938
• Haliotis virginea stewartae Jones & Owen, 2004

DNA extracted from H. virginae shells in museums showed three main population divisions, inhabiting the Three Kings Islands; the Chatham, Auckland, and Antipodes Islands; and mainland New Zealand (as well as Campbell Island). These three clades do not correspond to the subspecies recognised above.^[3]

Distribution

This marine species is endemic to New Zealand.

Human use

Haliotis virginea and two other Haliotis species are known as "pāua" in New Zealand and are a restricted food source.