Leptopecten latiauratus
A small scallop with thin shell, byssal threads, and jet propulsion.
Leptopecten latiauratus, also called the kelp scallop, wide-eared scallop, broad-eared pecten, or kelp-weed scallop, is a small bivalve mollusk in the scallop family Pectinidae. It was once classified as *Pecten monotimeris*. Found from Point Reyes, California, down to Cabo San Lucas and the Gulf of California in Mexico, it lives from the low intertidal zone to depths of 850 feet (250 meters).
The shell, which ranges from three to five centimeters, is mostly circular with two flat auricles (ears) extending from the hinge. It is extremely thin compared to most bivalves, with one side curving out more than the other. Ridges radiate from the hinge toward the mantle, and some shells also have ribs running perpendicular to these ridges. Common colors include orange, brown, red, and black, often mixed with white and sometimes arranged in a zigzag pattern.
Around the mantle’s rim, the scallop has about 20 eyes on the top and another 20 on the bottom, plus roughly 50 semi-transparent tentacles (each 1–5 mm long) on each side. The species has not been studied in depth, but based on the related Queen Scallop (*Aequipecten opercularis*), these tentacles may contain chemical sensors for detecting predators. Like other scallops, it uses jet propulsion to escape threats.
The kelp scallop attaches itself to kelp, hard surfaces like rocks or oil rigs, or invertebrates such as hydroids, using byssal threads. It is preyed upon by perch and likely other fish.
Quick Facts
- Genus
- Leptopecten
- Species
- latiauratus
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
The species was formerly known as Pecten monotimeris. Its shell is mostly circular with two flat auricles extending off the hinge, and usually has ridges radiating from the hinge toward the mantle, sometimes with perpendicular ribs. The shell is extremely thin compared to most bivalves, with one side extending out more than the other. Common shell colors include orange, brown, red, and black, often with some white mixed in, sometimes in a zigzag pattern. Around the edges of the mantle are about 20 eyes on top and another 20 on the bottom, along with approximately 50 somewhat transparent tentacles (1–5 mm) on each side of the rim. Based on what is known about the Queen Scallop (Aequipecten opercularis), these tentacles may contain chemical sensors used to detect predators.
Reader's Guide
Leptopecten latiauratus is a small but ecologically interesting bivalve due to its habitat and defensive adaptations. It lives from the low intertidal zone to depths of 850 feet, attaching to kelp, hard objects such as rocks and oil well rigs, or invertebrates like hydroids using byssal threads. Like other scallops, it has many small primitive eyes around the rim of its mantle and escapes predators by jet propulsion. Its predators include perch and probably other fish species. The species has not been extensively studied, so much of its biology remains inferred from related scallops. Its thin shell and variable coloration, including zigzag patterns, make it distinctive among bivalves. The species occurs from Point Reyes, California south to Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, and the Gulf of California, Mexico.
Did You Know?
- The kelp scallop has about 20 eyes on the top and 20 on the bottom of its mantle rim.
- It attaches to kelp, rocks, oil well rigs, or hydroids using byssal threads.
More in Giant Clams and Marine Bivalves 1-24
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