electric flame scallops

[Absint Reefer]

What makes them look like their's electricity running through them?

 

[capt. insano]

bioluminesense

http://www.biolum.org/

 

[Peabody]

My understanding is that the scallops commonly sold as electric in the hobby are not bioluminecent. It's the skin of their mantle moving back in forth and looks quite similar to an electric currnet.

 

[Absint Reefer]

ok thanks

 

[Johnsteph10]

It is simply the color of the mantle at the point where it meets. There is nothing electric or bioluminescent about them.

 

[capt. insano]

hmmm.....

admittedly, I am probably wrong. But if it is simply just the color where the mantle, why does it undulate, as if pulsing?

Chameleon like abilities?

 

[twon8]

There is a flap of skin covering the blue part, but when the scallop flashes, the skin lifts up, exposing the "electricity." At least that is my understanding.

 

[ridinfast03]

You are correct twon.

 

[ridinfast03]

I read that in a julia sprung invertabrate book

 

[Foster]

How do these do in capivity?

 

[Reefmaniac1]

Most die within a few months. While it's unknown what their actual lifespan is in the wild, it's estimated that they live for about 2 years.