Scotland scallops

For this query we are talking about scallops that you get on the west coast of Scotland in the UK.

I've never really known what the orange growth on these creatures is. It's quite common on the smaller queen type scallops but I've never seen it on the larger common scallop. Is it a sponge or some sort of colonial ascidian?

Anyone any ideas?

If they're like our Pacific Pink or Spiny scallop in British Columbia, it's an encrusting sponge.

Cheers,

Marli

If the scallop is Aequipecten opercularis, then it's an encrusting sponge.

See the introduction in http://www.ac.wwu.edu/~bingham/JMBAUK2.pdf for some research information.

Regards,

Jim A

Thanks Jim,

What a fascinating paper on scallops! I would never have appreciated any mutual benefit between a scallop and an encrusting sponge. Thanks for posting it.

Trev