Scallops (Latin Pectinidae) of edible species are the objects of fishing and artificial breeding. Scallop dishes are very popular and are served in many restaurants in Europe, Asia and America.
The scallop is a medium-sized bivalve mollusk that lives in the seas and oceans. Some types of scallops are eaten, and their tender meat is considered a delicacy. The shells of these molluscs are used for decorative purposes.
Scallop in cooking
The edible part of the scallop is the meat of the mantle and the muscle that connects the shell valves. In consistency, the muscle is similar to fillet, and it tastes a bit like crab meat. The scallop is low in calories and contains a large amount of beneficial trace elements.
Scallops are an object of commercial seafood production. In terms of catch, they rank third after oysters and mussels. Some types of edible scallops are bred in special pools and cages.
Scallop habitats
The largest number of varieties of these molluscs is found in the seas and oceans of the subtropical temperate zone. They live in coastal areas in shallow water and at great depths.
The pale scallop (Chlamys albida) is widespread in the Asian Pacific Ocean and also in the Chukchi Sea. The Bering Sea scallop (Chlamys behringiana) lives in the Pacific Ocean, and is found in large numbers in the southeastern Chukchi Sea, as well as in the Beaufort Sea (Arctic Ocean). The Black Sea scallop (Flexopeclen ponticus), which is a subspecies of the Mediterranean scallop, lives in the Black Sea.
Appearance
The scallops have a rounded shell with a straight dorsal edge. Lugs are located on the sides of the shell. The upper valve is usually flatter, and the lower one is more convex. Most mollusks have embossed shells that may have ribbed bulges, thorns, or scales.
In shallow scallops, the shell is usually large and pink, white, or reddish in color. There may be a spotted pattern on the sink. In deep-sea species, shell valves are fragile and thin, usually translucent and have thin outer ribs.
Scallops feed on plankton or detritus (small particles of plant organisms and the remains of animal organisms). They extract food from the water by pulling it into the mantle cavity. A scallop with a shell diameter of about four centimeters can filter about three liters of water per hour.
Scallops have many enemies, the most dangerous are starfish and octopuses. Also, some aquatic inhabitants parasitize on scallops. Drilling sponges penetrate their shells. And on the valves, algae can grow, bryozoans, balanus and other small invertebrates can settle. Parasites impede the movement of the scallops.
