Scallop

Mollusca – Bivalvia

Distribution:       

There are many types of scallops and some are very colourful. True scallops and saucer scallops spend most of their time on the ocean floor, but are strong swimmers. They swim by expelling jets of water – forceably closing their two shell valves and then opening them quickly to take in more water.

Fan scallops are generally attached to hard surfaces or seagrasses by tough flexible threads called a byssus.

Did you know?

Scallops generally have many small eyes arranged around the edge of the mantle lobes that line the shell valves.