Question: what is the difference between paua shell and abalone?
Answer: Topics: Shell, Paua They are one and the same, the difference in name is based on where the shell is from or who is naming it. Abalone is derived from the Spanish word "Abulón" and paua from the New Zealand Maori word "paua." ... The inner shell of an abalone is made up of nacre or mother-of-pearl.