The Ravenel Scallop, Euvola raveneli (Dall, 1898) is one of the most elusive among the local Scallop species. It is certainly the rarest of all shallow-water Scallop species occurring in Southwest Florida (excluding the Lions Paw, Nodipecten nodosus (Linnaeus, 1758), which lives in slightly deeper water). The Ravenel Scallop can be readily distinguished from the similar and relatively more common Ziczac Scallop, Euvola ziczac (Linnaeus, 1758), by the "split" or "double" radial ribs on the right or lower valve. The radial ribs are single, broad, and flat in the Ziczac Scallop. In both these species, the right valve is lighter in color and bowl-shaped, and the left, or upper, valve is darker and flattish. In the illustration, the right valve on right, found by Kimberly Nealon on Captiva two weeks ago, has a unusual deep pink color.
The Ravenel Scallop, Euvola raveneli. Examples of two right (bowl-shaped) valves. Photos by José H. Leal.