Is this a Scallop or what?

[dpbishop]

Saw a bunch of these on the NOSC Tower yesterday.

They look like scallops but they didn't seem to have a hard shell. They also closed a lot slower then scallops do when you touch them. And if they are scallops, why hasn't anyone taken them? It's not like SoCal divers to leave scallops lying around.

BTW this was my first dive on the tower since it went down. A real nice dive and a great site for photographing models, if you are into that; lots of places to frame someone in the structure.

 

[FishNut]

Look Like Scalops to me!

 

[Sam Miller III]

Judging from your pictures and location you discovered them they appear to be a "California sea mussel" scientific name "mytitus Califorianus" (Conrad 1837) or a "straight horse mussel" -- scientific name "volsella recta" (Conrad in 1837.)

They both attach to rocks, pilings and out cropping and can generally be IDed by their flesh color, the Sea Mussel being bright Orange -Red and the Horse Mussel being Yellowish-Orange.

They are excellent food source; steamed, in sauces and even raw.

Before harvesting them it would be appropriate to check the F&G regulations, the bag limits, the open season and quarantine season.

If possible dine an upscale restaurant and order a dish containing mussels or if your pocket book so dictates visit a 99 Cent store and purchase a can mussels to sample.
SDM

 

[drbill]

I can't give a definitive answer based on the images. The first one does look like a rock scallop (formerly Hinnites giganteus when I learned it but now Crassedoma giganteum) but the shell shape (overgrown with inverts) on the group shot does appear to look more like the California mussel (Mytilus californianus).

I don't remember the depth of the NOSC tower, but in my experience (and confirmed in Morris, Abbott, and Haderlie) the maximum depth of the California mussel is less than 100 ft.

 

[Rickster]

I can't give a definitive answer based on the images. The first one does look like a rock scallop (formerly Hinnites giganteus when I learned it but now Crassedoma giganteum) but the shell shape (overgrown with inverts) on the group shot does appear to look more like the California mussel (Mytilus californianus).

I don't remember the depth of the NOSC tower, but in my experience (and confirmed in Morris, Abbott, and Haderlie) the maximum depth of the California mussel is less than 100 ft.

Hi Bill,

The tower is at 30'-65'

 

[runway1]

Don't be ridiculous! It's a diver, not a scallop. Can't you see the bubbles? ;-0>

 

[Sam Miller III]

I vote for a "California sea mussel" scientific name "mytitus Califorianus" (Conrad 1837)

The last trip I noted the pilings were over grown with them..

Once again great food source

dr sam

 

[Glycerin]

Hey dr sam you got a vendetta against Dr. Bill or something? Or is it just when someone contributes info you feel the need to flex your own old scientific muscles? I don't get it.

BTW the top pic looks like a "scallop" scientific name "scallipicus sammilleracus annoyinganus" to me.

Billy

Mind you, I am not a Dr. however, I can tell the first pic is a scallop and the 'life' in the second pic is clearly muscles.

 

[dpbishop]

It shure looked like a scallop to me, and there were quite a few. The other shot looks like mussels, when I shot it I thought they were the same, but it's a new camera and I'm not a photo guy, so I may not have captured what I was aiming at. That digital delay thing.