At the Broward Shell Show this year, banquet and program attendees had the opportunity to select the world’s most beautiful scallop species. They were shown 150 of the world’s largest and most beautiful species from which to choose. And choose they did, and here are the results!
Participants (over 50 altogether) cast votes for 32 species from among the 150+ species shown. Tenth place was a three way tie between mirifica/thaanumi, farreri, and antillarum. Ninth place was the wonderous and rare cranmerorum from Somalia. Eighth place was the beautiful delicate dianae from Okinawa. Seventh place went to the brightly colored langfordi, a Hawaiian endemic. Sixth place was Florida native pellucens, long known as imbricata, and this may still prove to be its correct name. Fifth place went to the elegant swifti of northern Japan and Siberia. Fourth place winner was magnifica, the giant red scallop endemic to the Galapagos Islands. Third place winner was the uniquely refined and brightly colored speciosus of Japan.
Second place winner was glaber, the Mediterranean scallop which displays endless hues of color and endless patterns. It received only one less vote than the winner.
What, might you ask, could top the beauty and variation found in glaber? Well, among Florida collectors there has always been a favorite scallop, and this vote showed that Floridians fervently believe that this scallop is also the most beautiful scallop in the world. This scallop has it all! Great size, great colors, and great variation in its patterns. That scallop is, of course, fragosus, the Florida lion’s paw, and it truly is a marvel of nature!
Broward Shell Club 
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