Scallops are a tasty treat, even raw as the brave students that have participated in Huntsman field courses can tell you! But what is a deep-sea scallop’s (Placopecten magellanicus) life like before it ends up on your plate?
· They are filter feeders, consuming microscopic food.
· While usually stationary they can move short distances by opening and closing their shell rapidly, expelling water and propelling themselves forward. Students sometimes find this out the hard way when they get squirted by a scallop anxious to escape!
· When the shell is partially open you can see rows of black spots along the upper and lower edge. These “eyes” enable scallops to detect motion and sense light.
· The portion that you eat is called the adductor muscle. The silvery outer edge of the muscle closes the shell and the soft centre keeps it closed.
The scallop drag for collecting scallops and other invertebrates from the seabed.
Did you notice the black "eyes"?
A treat for those onboard the research vessel!
Filter feeding in a tank in the lab.
