Haliotis rufescens

The Red Abalone (Haliotis rufescens) is the giant of its family, capable of reaching impressive sizes. Prepared with the expertise of Deyrolle, each shell reveals the striking contrast between its rough brick-red exterior and its interior lined with iridescent mother-of-pearl with pink, green, and silver hues.

The color of its shell depends directly on its diet: if it grazes on red algae (such as kelp), its shell takes on an intense brick-red hue, while a diet of brown or green algae will produce lighter bands! Moreover, the ultra-resistant nanometric structure of its mother-of-pearl now inspires engineers to create lightweight armor and unbreakable ceramics.