Scallop

Pectinoidea Pectinidae
Scientific classification
Kingdom:	Animalia
Phylum:	Mollusca
Class:	Bivalvia
Order:	Ostreoida
Suborder:	Pectinina
Superfamily:	Pectinoidea
Family:	Pectinidae Rafinesque, 1815

A scallop is a marine bivalve mollusc of the family Pectinidae. Scallops live in all the world's oceans.

This is one of the largest families of living bivalves. There are over 300 living species of scallop.^[1] Their main adaptation is the ability to swim by clapping their valves together. In this way they escape from most of their predators.^[2]

They have a good reputation as a food source.^[3] As bivalves they have one hinged shell; each half is known as a valve. The lower valve is usually white (about 95%). It can also be orange (4%) or Lemon Yellow (1%).^[3]

The name "scallop" comes from the Old French escalope, which means "shell".^[4] Their shells can be up to 15 centimetres (6 inches) across.^[1]

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1} Cite error: The named reference IWE was used but no text was provided for refs named (see the help page).
2. ↑ Morton J.E. 1964. Molluscs. 3rd ed, London: Hutchinson, p55.
3. ↑ ^{3.0 3.1} FSU Coastal & Marine Laboratory. "Article about Scallops". Archived from the original on 2011-07-13. Retrieved 2011-08-15.
4. ↑ "Origin of the word "Scallop"". Retrieved 2011-08-14.