This stunning looking creature is also the prize of many great seafood chefs. The King Scallop,
Pecten fumatus is highly prized by the commercial fishery industry in Southern Australia.
Also known as the Southern Scallop, the Tasmanian Scallop or the Commercial Scallop, they can grow to over 14 cm across and live for just as many years. Scallops are filter feeders, living on plankton and other organic debris and are common to all our coastal waters.
This photo was taken on a night dive during my last Open Water course over in Edithburgh. It's fun to leave the students on the jetty, then come back to them with photos of what they'll soon be experiencing for themselves.
Until the next post, take care out there and keep diving ( if that's what you do! ) ...Robert
Photo: Robert Rath C5060 1/30s at f/8 ISO200 30mm, Lens UWL100-28AD, Inon D2000 Strobe