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Spiny Pink Scallop

Chlamys hastata

Spiny Pink Scallop

Chlamys hastata
Other Common Names
Spiny scallop, pink scallop, spear scallop
At the Aquarium
Sandy Coast
Other Common Names
Spiny scallop, pink scallop, spear scallop

At the Aquarium

Sandy Coast

Appearance

The shells of spiny pink scallops are ribbed with spines and can reach up to 2.4 inches across. The mantle edge has many small tentacles and tiny blue eyes for detecting light.

Habitat

Mostly found subtidally on rocky, sandy or shell-hash bottoms to depths of 500 feet

Diet

Scallops are filter feeders, drawing in water and collecting plankton with their gills.

Life History

Spiny scallops reproduce by broadcast spawning once a year in July or August. The free-swimming larvae are called veligers and they spend 40 days feeding on phytoplankton before settling to undergo metamorphosis. Can live up to 6 years.

IUCN Status

Not Evaluated

Ecosystem & Cultural Importance

These clams provide a home to 2 species of encrusting sponges, which are only found on scallop shells: the orange or yellow encrusting sponge Myxilla incrustans and the brown or purple sponge Mycale adherens. This is thought to be a mutualistic symbiosis because the sponges make it harder for predatory sea stars to get a grip on the scallop, and the scallop will also swim away from predators that would eat the sponges. Predators include sea otters, octopuses, and a variety of sea stars, including the false ochre star, sunflower star, and the rose star.
Range
Gulf of Alaska to San Diego, California
On the Oregon Coast
These scallops live subtidally but it is possible to find their shells washed up on the beach.
Fun Facts
  • These swimming scallops can produce byssal threads to anchor themselves to surfaces. Usually lie with their left valve upwards.
  • This is their more brightly colored valve with the heaviest sponge growth.
  • This scallop escapes threats by clapping its shell together and swimming away by jet propulsion. An average swim lasts 9 seconds and moves the scallop almost 5 feet.

Citations & Other Resources

  • Daniel Hershman from Federal Way, US, Chlamys hastata, CC BY 2.0
  • A Snail’s Odyssey website: https://www.asnailsodyssey.com/
  • E-Fauna BC site: https://linnet.geog.ubc.ca/efauna/Atlas/Atlas.aspx?sciname=Chlamys%20hastata
  • Invertebrates of the Salish Sea website: https://inverts.wallawalla.edu/Mollusca/Bivalvia/Ostreoida/Pectinidae-Propeamussidae/Chlamys_hastata.html
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About Oregon Coast Aquarium

Since opening in 1992, the Oregon Coast Aquarium has been a premier attraction on Oregon’s central coast and an enduring advocate for the health of our ocean. For over three decades this 501(c)3 non-profit organization has supported marine wildlife and fostered environmental stewardship through its education programs, community partnerships, and rehabilitation efforts. Accredited by the Association of Zoos & Aquariums, the Oregon Coast Aquarium is consistently ranked as one of the top 10 aquariums in the U.S., providing visitors with opportunities to connect with 15,000 animals spanning 300 different species. The Oregon Coast Aquarium is located at 2820 S.E. Ferry Slip Rd., Newport, OR. Learn more about the Oregon Coast Aquarium and its vital work at aquarium.org, 541-867-3474. Follow us on Facebook or Twitter for the latest updates.

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