Lushun Maihong Snail

Lushun Maihong Snail

Lushun Maihong Snail is a geographical indication agricultural product.

　　Maihong snail is an edible shellfish. It is a target of marine fishing, with its fishing season from March to November. In Dandong, Liaoning, it is caught using drag nets, while in Lushun, the "snail fishing" method—using nets baited to attract the snails—is more common. It is also cultivated, primarily through two methods: cage culture and mixed culture in shrimp ponds.

　　Maihong snail, also known as the angular rock snail, belongs to the animal kingdom and the superfamily Muricoidea. It is abundantly produced in Jiaozhou Bay and is an important economic snail species along the northern coast.

　　The Maihong snail, also called the horned rock snail, has a shell that is roughly pear-shaped, measuring 100–140 mm in height. The spire is small, while the body whorl is swollen. The shell surface is densely covered with low, uniform spiral ribs that protrude outward to form shoulder ridges. The shell is yellowish-brown with brown spotted line patterns, and the aperture is orange-red. It is abundantly produced in Jiaozhou Bay.

　　The current production area of Lushun Maihong Snail covers 20,000 hectares, with an estimated annual yield of 4,000 tons. The production zone mainly includes coastal waters of Lushun, focusing on areas such as Bailanzi, Dongtuozi, Aizikou, and the Beihai sea area. The current production area of Pulandian Octopus is 25,000 hectares, with an estimated annual yield of 8,000 tons, covering sea areas near Pikou Town, Yangshufang Town, and Chengzitan Town along the Yellow Sea coast of Pulandian City. The current production area of Jinzhou Cockle is 10,000 hectares, with an estimated annual yield of 5,000 tons, located in parts of the sea areas under the jurisdiction of Xingshu Subdistrict, Dengshahe Subdistrict, and Lijia Subdistrict in the Jinzhou New Area.

　　Lushun Maihong Snail

　　 Geographical Scope

　　Lushunkou District is located at the southernmost tip of the Liaodong Peninsula, spanning both the Yellow Sea and the Bohai Sea. It is surrounded by sea on the south, west, and north sides, with a coastline stretching 158.5 kilometers and a total sea area of 2,038 square kilometers. The southernmost point of Lushunkou’s sea area is at 38°49′13.97″N, 121°20′22.07″E, and the northernmost point is at 38°58′9.95″N, 121°16′29.71″E. The specific range extends from the sea area of Taha Bay in the south, passing through Bailanzi, Moon Bay, Dongtuozi, Xihu Zui, Aizikou, and Beihai sea areas, up to the vicinity of Dachao Kou sea area in the north. Among these, the sea areas of Bailanzi, Dongtuozi, Aizikou, and Beihai are the main production bases for Lushun Maihong Snail.

　　Product Quality Characteristics

　　1. External Sensory Characteristics: The external sensory features of "Lushun Maihong Snail" include a shell that is roughly pear-shaped, large and hard. It has about six whorls with relatively shallow sutures. The apex is pointed, the spire is much lower than the body whorl and conical in shape, and the middle part of the body whorl is highly swollen. Each whorl, as well as the upper part of the body whorl, features a spiral rib that forms a shoulder angle, with each shoulder angle having a horn-like protrusion. The shoulder angles of the body whorl are well-developed, with 3–4 thick longitudinal ribs below them, which bear nodules or spine-like protrusions. The shell surface is rough and densely covered with low spiral ribs, along with brown or purplish-brown spots. The aperture is large and oval-shaped. The anterior canal is short and wide, slightly curved, while the posterior canal is short and not very prominent. The outer lip is thick, with notches corresponding to the spiral ribs along its edge. The inner lip is attached to the upper part of the body whorl and curls outward at the bottom, forming a false umbilicus with the spiral ribs of the body whorl. The interior of the shell is orange-red and glossy. The operculum is horny, thick, and elliptical, colored brown. The most distinctive external feature of Lushun Maihong Snail is its bright orange-red interior, brownish-red exterior, and a smaller ratio of shell height to width. 2. Internal Quality Indicators: "Lushun Maihong Snail" exhibits the richest genetic diversity. Its flesh is tender, flavorful, delicate, smooth in texture, highly nutritious, and easily absorbed by the human body.