Euvola ziczac, or the zigzag scallop, is a species of bivalve mollusc in the family Pectinidae. It can be found along the Atlantic coast of North America, ranging from North Carolina to the West Indies and Bermuda.
Like other bivalve molluscs, Bermuda scallops feed by passively filtering plankton and organic matter from the surrounding water. They are primarily herbivorous and subsist on phytoplankton, although they have been known to inadvertently consume small planktonic animals, as well. Scallops have even been known to orient themselves in relation to surrounding water currents, but the advantages of such behavior are still being investigated. Because of their submerged, sand-dwelling lifestyle, zigzag scallops in particular extend their tentacles out of the sediment so they can continue to filter-feed even when the rest of their bodies are buried in the sand.
Zigzag scallops are a hermaphroditic species which reproduces through broadcast spawning. They are known as “dribble spawners” in Bermuda because, while the local population spawns around the same general times of year, no synchronous mass spawning events occur. Instead, individuals spawn at slightly different times within the same season. Spawning usually occurs twice annually, although exact spawning periods vary by region. Small, D-shaped planktonic larvae develop within two days of fertilization and feed on phytoplankton. Overall, the larval stage lasts about 12 days, after which the larvae settle and become juvenile scallops, which are known as “spat”. Spat have the same general body form as adults, and show a wide variety of colors, but will darken as they mature.
