| Synonyms | | | | Pecten grandis Solander, 1797 |
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| FAO Names | | En - American sea scallop, Fr - Pecten d'Amérique, Sp - Vieira americana. |
| 3Alpha Code: SCA Taxonomic Code: 3160801404 |
| Diagnostic Features | | The shell is large, subcircular, and compressed. The two valves are subequal, hinged dorsally, and meet along the ventral margin, except for a small gap between them near the dorsal hinge line. The right valve rests on the bottom. Radial ribs are present along with concentric lamellae or growth lines. This sculpturing is more prominent on the left valve. The wings on the left valve are nearly equal: the wings on the right valve differ in that the anterior wing contains a byssal notch. The inner surface is lustrous and smooth with distinct adductor muscle and pallial scars (roughened areas may be present due to secretions laid down to repair damage from boring organisms). The adductor muscle scar is located slightly posterior and dorsal to the center of the valves and is slightly larger on the left valve.
The left valve is usually reddish-brown in color but may be lavender or yellow; the rigght valve is pale cream or white. |
| Geographical Distribution | |
| | Northwestern Atlantic from Labrador to Carolina. A few shells have been found in the Mediterranean, on sandy substrates, down to 100 m. |
| Habitat and Biology | | Usually inhabit waters with salinities characteristic of oceanic waters. The optimum temperature for growth of adult is about up 10° C (growth rates drop 5% at 8° C and 20% at 12 ° C). Feeding on plankton and organic detritus.
Spawn at temperatures between 14° and 16° C in New Hampshire (USA) and between 10° and 15° C in the laboratory. |
| Size | | | The largest European specimens measure 5,5 cm, but in the northwestern Atlantic it grows up to 20 cm. |
| Interest to Fisheries | | Global Capture production for
Placopecten magellanicus
(FAO Fishery Statistic) |  |   |
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One the most valuable shellfisheries along the United States eastern seaboard. Usually fished with dredges, (dredge size and type varies with locality) ("scallops, clams dredges fishing"). The total catch reported for this species to FAO for 1999 was 131 962 t. The countries with the largest catches were USA (77 206 t) and Canada (54 756 t).
| |  Related Fishing Techniques |
| Local Names | | | English : Atlantic deep sea scallop , Giant scallop , Ocean scallop , Sea scallop , Smooth scallops . |
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| Remarks | | The introduction in the Mediterranean was due to a Canadian fishing boat that threw away a large quantity of shells, some still alive, near Sicily. Apparently the species introduction was not successful, as there are no recent records.
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Bibliography Mullen, D. & J. Moring - 1986 Species profiles: life histories and environmental requirements of coastal fishes and invertebrates (North Atlantic) Sea scallop. U.S. Fish and Wildl. Serv. Biol. Rep. 82 (11.67). 13 pp. Poppe, G.T. & Y. Goto. - 1993. European Seashells. Verlag Christa Hemmen, darmstadt, Germany, vol. II: 221 pp. Turgeon, D.D., A.E. Bogan, E.V. Coan, W.K. Emerson, W.G. Lyons, W.L. Pratt, C.F.E. Roper, A. Scheltema, F.G. Thompson & J.D. Williams. - 1988. Common and scientific names of aquatic invertebrates from the United States and Canada: mollusks. Vera, J. - 1992Diccionario multilingüe de especies marinas para el mundo hispano. Ministerio de Agricultura, Pesca y Alimentación. Secretaria General Técnica. 1282 pp. |
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