{{short description|Species of mollusc}} {{Speciesbox | image = Pecten jacobaeus.jpg | image_caption = The upper (flat) valve of ''Pecten jacobaeus'' | fossil_range = {{fossil range|5.333|0|Pliocene – Recent}} | genus = Pecten | species = jacobaeus | authority = (Linnaeus, 1758) | synonyms = *''Ostrea jacobaea'' <small>Linnaeus, 1758</small> *''Plicatula jacobaeus'' <small>(Linnaeus, 1758)</small> *''Vola jacobea'' <small>(Linnaeus, 1758)</small> <ref name=fa/> }}

'''''Pecten jacobaeus''''', the '''Mediterranean scallop''', is a species of scallop, an edible saltwater scallop, a marine bivalve mollusc in the family Pectinidae, the scallops.<ref name=fa>[http://www.marinespecies.org/aphia.php?p=taxdetails&id=394429 World Register of Marine species]</ref> [[File:Pectinidae - Pecten jacobaeus.JPG|thumb|250px|right|Fossil valve of ''Pecten jacobaeus'' from Pliocene of Italy]]

==Description== ''Pecten jacobaeus'' usually reaches a length of about {{convert|120|-|140|mm}}, but the world record size reaches over 210&nbsp;mm.<ref name="Pectensite">[http://www.pectensite.com/Pecten%20jacobaeus.html Pectensite]</ref> The two valves have different shapes. The lower valve, with which the animal rests on the bottom, is very convex and light-colored, while the upper valve is flat and brown. They show 14 to 16 ribs (radial wrinkles) with a more or less rectangular cross section. The inside of the valves is porcelain-like smooth.

The mollusc has at the edge of the mantle many short tentacles, between which there are a total of 60 blue-millimeter lens eyes. By quickly closing of the two valves it can swim away several meters in case of danger.

These scallops eat planktonic organisms and other floating food particles, which they obtain by filtering sea water with their gills.

==Distribution== This species appears to be endemic to the Mediterranean Sea,<ref name="Pectensite"/> but it may be conspecific with ''Pecten maximus'', the great scallop, which has a larger distribution.<ref name=fbb>{{cite journal |journal=Journal of the Marine Biological Association of the United Kingdom |volume=79 |issue=5 |year=1999 |pages=949–952 |title=Are ''Pecten maximus'' and ''Pecten jacobaeus'' different species? |first1=C. S. |last1=Wilding |first2=A. R. |last2=Beaumont |first3=J. W. |last3=Latchford|doi=10.1017/S0025315499001149 |bibcode=1999JMBUK..79..949W |s2cid=84757441 }}</ref> Although these two species are morphologically similar, they present distinguishing features.<ref name=fbb/>

Fossils of ''Pecten jacobaeus'' first appear at the beginning of the Pliocene and are quite common in the Pliocene and Pleistocene deposits of Italy.<ref name=fbb/>

==Commercial value== Scallops of this species are collected commercially for human consumption using such techniques as the Rapido trawl.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://watermark02.silverchair.com/56-1-111.pdf?token=AQECAHi208BE49Ooan9kkhW_Ercy7Dm3ZL_9Cf3qfKAc485ysgAAA1cwggNTBgkqhkiG9w0BBwagggNEMIIDQAIBADCCAzkGCSqGSIb3DQEHATAeBglghkgBZQMEAS4wEQQMJtM64OOapetW-wj2AgEQgIIDCrzd6yWXfxfOZYs9bVI1itC4VngUfx-nS3MFaBQb-gMpfpnJk6gIySC_JPB9nQQ41QAoIATC2UqRwyml5U3vsMZWEp38GZca8VfDt9jMTVo6BnMKBiouvp8tG71gydnCUbPRYVBRyW6W_Yo7L47QyRWGcUOhl2TpZOYXIJ7_xL46l3b1_52ufhJPxCONpAOHCttly2K5_FiKd_AfBlh5S2N6WKhJnrvkLy68SYEaccaPJjuAcWG28UVUTkWDrQOrjh07NFf11zUxJ5aL2AF-Pyh6KpNMiBJC70poFqmLV_GaM7kw5v2KlSMfiC93Gr0B81NuXQno2PkQOw4SPyPRr41mwX0m9vmdpOtKAdPtNZIO9_RwgLXGCS_cS8sVXbuiikmoU3DULiepEMp1mOH9L2WLdfLPJfAF1eC-PpqIc1HaSQHZQfccnnG6xgwGmJNEx1ty2yzHPXOrHiEwFMdfkri_z5TNJ6Ipii1FN0rqQSGYHAZM6ZB3e_7CnZiJeHcZa4ByoGtE0iqLcb2wIw9XaRe3J7S0sm-tJ_A4w8bRW30azlsNmhrbt7WXsDYZOQb70m3k_95HA90756E1BWO9X2hu1hqRmHuFOgwd1I5_q_TxSxGNP3Ilo53pJ89PIVRVntzPy5xOkFsrnfocijrMvq8YOuXdYitWTbvFaPb8wbXAPvA3ijRV5P4oG7mDwf5v3z8L0sbZpKENjyJ9lj_oyRLNrYwUBoccM_vdzbtuceZf9LKNNZzTNhBaDlpkK0ogdhDzfcLgOT5hDRgGHHF_-d9uMPjwzOdEWabUQ3hgIilTUX_MXk6fERIyhxR2a2fz4FWtb70KyVCAqgT3nCPsjNaFDBVU_M1RvDNOQaQMe2NKEIyb_ARBzcQzPpPGk-UnWBtQ7ZsjkFHxJ6RC3jMIlmAq4F63oftW1P-gld225HKnzIqAXv5zukORbRwDfNgwmuHX9BVLOeMunYaxsNcFwA_T-ibS1-j3CBb0p11Jh4yBezqxMDLguPyUmal59MAuEFophw5xr0GOrJg |title= The impact of Rapido trawling for scallops, Pecten jacobaeus (L.), on the benthos of the Gulf of Venice |first1=J. M. |last1=Hall-Spencer |first2=C. |last2=Froglia |first3=R. J. A. |last3=Atkinson |first4=P. G. |last4=Moore |publisher= ICES Journal of Marine Science |volume=56 |issue=1 |year=1999 |doi=10.1006/jmsc.1998.0424 |doi-access=free |bibcode=1999ICJMS..56..111H |access-date=January 3, 2026 |url-status=dead |archive-url= https://web.archive.org/web/20260103102131/https://watermark02.silverchair.com/56-1-111.pdf?token=AQECAHi208BE49Ooan9kkhW_Ercy7Dm3ZL_9Cf3qfKAc485ysgAAA1cwggNTBgkqhkiG9w0BBwagggNEMIIDQAIBADCCAzkGCSqGSIb3DQEHATAeBglghkgBZQMEAS4wEQQMJtM64OOapetW-wj2AgEQgIIDCrzd6yWXfxfOZYs9bVI1itC4VngUfx-nS3MFaBQb-gMpfpnJk6gIySC_JPB9nQQ41QAoIATC2UqRwyml5U3vsMZWEp38GZca8VfDt9jMTVo6BnMKBiouvp8tG71gydnCUbPRYVBRyW6W_Yo7L47QyRWGcUOhl2TpZOYXIJ7_xL46l3b1_52ufhJPxCONpAOHCttly2K5_FiKd_AfBlh5S2N6WKhJnrvkLy68SYEaccaPJjuAcWG28UVUTkWDrQOrjh07NFf11zUxJ5aL2AF-Pyh6KpNMiBJC70poFqmLV_GaM7kw5v2KlSMfiC93Gr0B81NuXQno2PkQOw4SPyPRr41mwX0m9vmdpOtKAdPtNZIO9_RwgLXGCS_cS8sVXbuiikmoU3DULiepEMp1mOH9L2WLdfLPJfAF1eC-PpqIc1HaSQHZQfccnnG6xgwGmJNEx1ty2yzHPXOrHiEwFMdfkri_z5TNJ6Ipii1FN0rqQSGYHAZM6ZB3e_7CnZiJeHcZa4ByoGtE0iqLcb2wIw9XaRe3J7S0sm-tJ_A4w8bRW30azlsNmhrbt7WXsDYZOQb70m3k_95HA90756E1BWO9X2hu1hqRmHuFOgwd1I5_q_TxSxGNP3Ilo53pJ89PIVRVntzPy5xOkFsrnfocijrMvq8YOuXdYitWTbvFaPb8wbXAPvA3ijRV5P4oG7mDwf5v3z8L0sbZpKENjyJ9lj_oyRLNrYwUBoccM_vdzbtuceZf9LKNNZzTNhBaDlpkK0ogdhDzfcLgOT5hDRgGHHF_-d9uMPjwzOdEWabUQ3hgIilTUX_MXk6fERIyhxR2a2fz4FWtb70KyVCAqgT3nCPsjNaFDBVU_M1RvDNOQaQMe2NKEIyb_ARBzcQzPpPGk-UnWBtQ7ZsjkFHxJ6RC3jMIlmAq4F63oftW1P-gld225HKnzIqAXv5zukORbRwDfNgwmuHX9BVLOeMunYaxsNcFwA_T-ibS1-j3CBb0p11Jh4yBezqxMDLguPyUmal59MAuEFophw5xr0GOrJg|archive-date=January 3, 2026 }}</ref>

==Popular culture== In a Christian context, this species is traditionally associated with Saint James, also known as James, son of Zebedee{{According to whom|date=July 2019}}, also known as Saint Jacob{{According to whom|date=July 2019}}, hence the specific name ''jacobaeus''{{Better source needed|date=July 2019}}. It is also known as the "Pilgrim's scallop",<ref>{{cite encyclopedia |url=http://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/526414/scallop |encyclopedia=Encyclopædia Britannica |title=Scallop BIVALVE |author=((The Editors of Encyclopædia Britannica)) |date=November 26, 2008 |access-date=January 21, 2017}}</ref> as the shells were used by the pilgrims in the Middle Ages as a cup.

==See also== * Symbolism of scallop shells

==References== {{reflist}} * C. Linnaeus. 1758. Systema Naturae per Regna Tria Naturae, secundum Classes, Ordines, Genera, Species, cum Characteribus, Differentiis, Synonymis, Locis. Tomus I. Editio decima, reformata. Laurentii Salvii, Holmiae (Lars Salvius, Stockholm) * Guido T. Poppe und Y. Goto: European Seashells. Vol II (Scaphopoda, Bivalvia, Cephalopoda). 221 S., Verlag Christa Hemmen, Wiesbaden, 1993 {{ISBN|3-925919-11-2}}

==External links== {{Edible molluscs}} {{commercial molluscs}}

{{Taxonbar|from=Q1757231}}

Category:Pectinidae Category:Molluscs of the Mediterranean Sea Category:Bivalves described in 1758 Category:Animal taxa named by Carl Linnaeus {{Pectinidae-stub}}