Paua or Abalone are a species of shellfish from the Haliotidae family (genus Haliotis). Paua are distinguished by their brilliantly coloured oval shells. Inside the shell is a large muscular foot which clings to rocks. Abalones are snail-like in appearance. They have a pair of eyes, a mouth and tentacles, and breathe through gills which are near their mouth under a row of pores in the shell.