Chlamys varia

The figure shows the most common, solid brown color and the scales on the ribs

The Colorful scallop ( Chlamys varia) is a species of bivalve mollusc of the family Pectinidae ( Pectinidae ). It has received because of their variable coloring your name, typically solid brown, but also purple, white, may be yellow, reddish or marbled.

The species is tart in the Mediterranean, the Atlantic, the English Channel and the North Sea cliffs up to 80 m depth before. The animals live on the rocky substrate with byssus threads attached, rarely free.

The shells are higher (up to 6 cm) than wide and have up to 28 ribs on carrying species-typical scale-like denticles.