Specimen in natural condition, from Pointe des Almadies, Dakar, Senegal. 66mm.

1-2m deep, on rocks, Pointe des Almadies. 30-53mm.
The species has rounded spiral cords. As H. tuberculata Linnaeus, 1758 is said to have a straighter
anterior margin, and marmorata a rounded one, these two specimens are a bit confusing.

Above and below: 6 shells from the same spot. Restaurant discards, Almadies, Dakar. 40-75mm.
The subtle differences between marmorata and tuberculata let us understand why
these two taxa are sometimes considered as synonyms.

H. testa ovata, striis longitudinalibus; transversis obsoletis. Habitat in O. Africano.
(Linnaeus, Systema Naturae, Vermes / Testacea / Haliotis / #651 p.780)
66mm. Sculpture is thin, pattern and colours do not vary a lot.

51-58mm. Syn: Haliotis rosacea Reeve, 1846.

56mm. Nacre with blue and magenta sheens.
Shells from John Wolff's collection (USA).

Variations in a same place:
Two shells found at 1m deep, under rocks, Casablanca area, Morocco. 47-48mm.
The tuberculata figured on first plate of P.A. Bernard's Shells of Gabon can be exactly placed between
these two specimens: its sculpture, shape and colours are those of marmorata, and never appear in the
atlantic tuberculata. It becomes ovious that tuberculata & marmorata are two separate and distinct species.
See two Tubbies from the same spot near Casa here: [click].

Going south. At low tide under stone, Sidi Ahmed, Doukhala-Abda, W. Morocco. 44-48mm.

Same spot. 45,7mm. Northern specimens are rounder than local tuberculata.

Above and below, variations in a same specimen: On rocks, M'Bour, Petite Côte, Senegal. 64-72mm.
This shell looks a bit like an old tuberculata from W. France, but its shape remains typical of marmorata.

An interesting change, which appears on both sizes of the shell.
All marmorata have the same kind of sculpture and patterrn. H. tuberculata is much more variable.

Good sculpture on this pair, from Almadies, Dakar, Senegal. Fished at extreme low tide. 31-43mm.

Specimens from Ghana. The sculpture is thinner. Attached under rocks, at 5-6m deep, "Nzema Cape",
Nzema side of Cape 3 Points, Western region. 26-34mm, 2008. From coll. P. Ryall.

8-10m deep, under rocks, Virgins Pools, Takoradi, Western Region, Ghana. 57mm. From coll. P. Ryall.

Takodari again: 4-6m deep, attached under rocks, Busua Island, Busua Dixcove, 47-50mm.
An exceptionnal population, rather different from more northern specimens.

Deep red specimens from São Tomé. The sculpture is smoother than in previous specimens.
3-5m deep, under rocks, Gamboa beach. 34-41mm, april 1997. From coll. R.J. Santos Araujo.

This surprising "rosacea" Reeve was fished at 12-20m deep, on rocks, Ilhéu das Cabras, off Lobata. 24mm.
Shells from São Tomé look very different from specimens living on continental Africa.

Gamboa beach again, N. of São Tomé city. 30mm.
The shapes are again close to those of the mediterranean tuberculata.