Species profile
Spiny Scallop
Chlamys hastata
At a glance
Spiny Scallop (Chlamys hastata) is a scallops regulated in 2 of 66 jurisdictions tracked by CatchRules across the U.S. and Canada.
The strictest bag limit is 40 (Washington); the most generous is 75 (British Columbia).
Confirmed by 765 research-grade iNaturalist observations, with British Columbia, Washington, and Alaska the top jurisdictions by observation count.
Notable details
- Has dozens of eyes along its mantle edge that can detect light and movement.
- Escapes predators by rapidly clapping its shells, jetting itself through the water.
- Typically grows to 2–3 inches across its ribbed, spiny shell.
- Found on rocky reefs from Alaska to Baja California.
- Can anchor itself with byssal threads or swim freely depending on conditions.
Where Spiny Scallop are seen
Jurisdictions with rules for Spiny Scallop
Background
Chlamys hastata, the spear scallop, spiny scallop or swimming scallop, is a species of bivalve mollusc in the family Pectinidae found on the west coast of North America from the Gulf of Alaska to San Diego, California. A limited number of these scallops are harvested by divers or by narrow trawls off the west coast of Canada.
Background excerpt adapted from Wikipedia's Spiny Scallop article (CC BY-SA). Visit Wikipedia for the full entry.
Other scallops on CatchRules
Photo credit: iNaturalist / Wikipedia. Identification reference only — verify regulations with the issuing wildlife agency before retaining a catch.