Southwest Florida Shells

by José H. Leal

Family Pectinidae

Euvola ziczac

(Linnaeus, 1758)

Zigzag Scallop

Shell size to 90 mm; shell circular, inequivalve, lower valve strongly concave, upper valve flatter, slightly convex. Hinge with wing-like projections of equal size. Sculpture on upper (flat) valve of about 35 relatively wide ribs and narrower interspaces. Do not confuse with Euvola raveneli, which has the lower valve with "doubled" ribs and narrower interspaces. Lower (deep) valve with about 20 less prominent ribs. Color tan to light-brown. Inner surface of lower valve white. Upper valve mottled with reddish-brown and dark-brown markings. The live animal has whitish mantle margins and silvery, or very pale-blue eyes. Image of living scallop from Kice Island by Amy Tripp, January 2016.