Two vintage Scallop shells measuring 10 cm and 13 cm respectively with two Porcupine quills.

Two Scallop old shells measuring 10 cm and 13 cm respectively with two Porcupine quills.

A scallop is a marine bivalve mollusc of the family Pectinidae. Scallops live in all the world's oceans. There are over 300 living species of scallop. Their main adaptation is the ability to swim by clapping their valves together. In this way they escape from most of their predators. As bivalves they have one hinged shell; each half is known as a valve. The lower valve is usually white (about 95%). It can also be orange (4%) or Lemon Yellow (1%). Scallops have a well-developed nervous system, and unlike most other bivalves all scallops have a ring of numerous simple eyes situated around the edge of their mantles. The name scallop comes from the Old French escalope, which means shell. Their shells can be up to 15 centimetres across.

These two shells measure 10 cm and 13 cm respectively.

The two Porcupine quills measure 23 cm and 26 cm respectively.