Shell · Family (pectinidae)
Pecten
Scallops
Scallops (Pectinidae: Pecten, Argopecten, Chlamys, Mimachlamys and others) are the fan-shaped bivalves with radial ribs and ear-like auricles that swim by clapping their valves; the great scallop Pecten maximus is the pilgrim's badge, and the Pacific 'lion's paw' Nodipecten nodosus and the coloured Mimachlamys are collector species. Scallops are among the most common fossils in Cenozoic beds (Chesapecten, Carolinapecten). Matched pairs are worth more than single valves.
| Habitat | Sand and gravel bottoms, worldwide, shallow to deep |
|---|---|
| Regions | Worldwide |
| Family | Pectinidae |
| Authority (WoRMS) | Rafinesque, 1815· WoRMS / MolluscaBase |
| Status (WoRMS) | accepted· WoRMS / MolluscaBase |
| Extinct (WoRMS) | no· WoRMS / MolluscaBase |
| Classification (WoRMS) | Animalia › Mollusca › Bivalvia › Pectinida › Pectinidae· WoRMS / MolluscaBase |
CITES and protection
Not CITES-listed; scallops are commercial fisheries everywhere.
Care (Byne's disease)
Scallop shells are calcite and stable; brightly coloured Pacific species fade in light.
Elsewhere
- WoRMS AphiaID: 213
- Wikidata: Q2704723
- WoRMS / MolluscaBase record
- Wikipedia: Pecten
- CITES Appendices
Cite this article
Stratum Strata. "Pecten" (Shell family). Stratum Strata pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21. https://stratum.black/strata/shells/pecten. Accessed 2026-09-21.
@misc{stratum-pecten,
title = {Pecten},
author = {{Stratum Strata}},
howpublished = {\url{https://stratum.black/strata/shells/pecten}},
year = {2026},
note = {Shell family article, Stratum Strata pack 2026.09, as of 2026-09-21; sources: stratum, worms, wikidata, commons. Accessed 2026-09-21.}
} Citations carry the pack version and the article's as-of date so they resolve to the same text later. The facts themselves belong to the sources listed below; cite those for the science.