Kelp scallop (Leptopecten latiauratus)
Source-cited species reference: taxonomy from WoRMS, biology from SeaLifeBase, occurrence map from GBIF, description from Wikipedia.
Leptopecten latiauratus, common name the kelp scallop, is a small saltwater clam, a bivalve mollusk in the family Pectinidae, the scallops. It lives in water up to 850 feet deep. Like other scallops it has many small primitive eyes around the rim of its mantle and escapes predators by jet propulsion.
- Scientific name
- Leptopecten latiauratus
- Authority
- (Conrad, 1837)
- Family
- Pectinidae
- Order
- Pectinida
- Habitat zone
- benthic
- Gbif occurrence records
- 1,962
Classification (WoRMS)
Full classification as recorded by WoRMS: Kingdom: Animalia · Phylum: Mollusca · Class: Bivalvia · Order: Pectinida · Family: Pectinidae · Genus: Leptopecten.
Accepted name: Leptopecten latiauratus · Authority: (Conrad, 1837) · Taxonomic status: accepted · AphiaID: 394312.
Synonyms and superseded combinations recorded for this taxon: Pecten (Chlamys) bellilamellatus R. Arnold, 1906; Pecten (Chlamys) latiauratus Conrad, 1837; Pecten (Chlamys) latiauratus bellilamellatus R. Arnold, 1906; Pecten (Chlamys) latiauratus cerritensis R. Arnold, 1906; Pecten (Chlamys) latiauratus delosi R. Arnold, 1906; Pecten (Chlamys) latiauratus fragilis R. Arnold, 1903; Pecten (Chlamys) latiauritus [sic]; Pecten (Chlamys) latiauritus var. cerritensis R. Arnold, 1906; Pecten (Chlamys) latiauritus var. delosi R. Arnold, 1906; Pecten (Chlamys) latiauritus var. fragilis R. Arnold, 1903; Pecten (Chlamys) latiauritus var. fucicolus Dall, 1898; Pecten (Chlamys) latiauritus var. monotimeris Conrad, 1837; Pecten latiauratus Conrad, 1837; Pecten latiauratus fucicolus Dall, 1898; Pecten latiauritus [sic]; Pecten latiauritus var. fucicolus Dall, 1898; Pecten monotimeris Conrad, 1837; Pecten tunica R. A. Philippi, 1844.
Source: World Register of Marine Species (WoRMS) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=394312 (CC BY 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-23.
Biology and life history (SeaLifeBase)
Measured values published by SeaLifeBase for Leptopecten latiauratus. Only fields the database actually holds for this species are shown; these are database values, not aquarium guidance.
Habitat zone: benthic.
SeaLifeBase notes: Depth estimate based on Family (Ref. 112947).
Source: SeaLifeBase species summary (SpecCode 46948) — https://www.sealifebase.se/summary/Leptopecten-latiauratus.html (CC BY-NC 3.0 — non-commercial use only). Accessed 2026-09-23.
Distribution and occurrence records (GBIF)
1,962 georeferenced occurrence records for Leptopecten latiauratus are published through GBIF from 3 countries or marine areas. The map above plots 53 distinct locations from a sample of 1,962 records, omitting 41 inland records that carry an institution's coordinates rather than a collection site; it shows where the species has been observed and reported, not a modelled range.
Most records by country or area: United States of America (1,716); Mexico (245); Chile (1).
The full country table, WoRMS marine regions and the sampling notes are on this species' Distribution page.
Source: GBIF Occurrence Search (taxonKey 2285847) — https://www.gbif.org/occurrence/search?taxon_key=2285847&has_coordinate=true (records CC0 / CC BY); WoRMS distribution records (MarineRegions) — https://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=394312 (CC BY 4.0); Natural Earth 110m basemap — https://www.naturalearthdata.com/ (public domain). Accessed 2026-09-23.
Description and natural history (Wikipedia)
Other common names include the wide-eared scallop, broad-eared pecten, kelp-weed scallop. The species was formerly known as Pecten monotimeris.
The shell can be three to five cm in size. As is the case in most scallops, the shell is mostly circular with two flat auricles or ears that extend off the hinge. It usually has ridges that radiate out from the hinge toward the mantle. Some also have ribs perpendicular to the ridges. The shell is extremely thin compared to most bivalves, with one side extending out more than the other.
Orange, brown, red, and black are some of the more common shell colors. Often there some white mixed in. The color may be in a zigzag pattern.
Around the edges of the mantle are about 20 eyes on top and another twenty on the bottom. The animal also has approximately 50, 1–5 mm, somewhat transparent tentacles on each side of the rim of the mantle.
This species occurs from Point Reyes, California south to Cabo San Lucas, Baja California Sur, and Gulf of California, Mexico.
This scallop lives from the low intertidal zone to a depth of 250m (850 feet). It attaches to kelp, hard objects (rocks, oil well rigs) or invertebrates such as hydroids using byssal threads.
These scallops are eaten by perch and probably by other fish species.
Source: Wikipedia: Leptopecten latiauratus — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leptopecten_latiauratus (CC BY-SA 4.0). Accessed 2026-09-23.
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