I have a set/pair, what do I call them, of scallop shells

[donna murphy]

I need to identify them for a picture for a magazine.  Can someone help me.
Thanks.

[paul monfils]

Hi Donna,

A complete bivalve shell is often spoken of as a "matched pair".  However, that isn't really necessary.  If you simply speak of a "bivalve shell", "clam shell", "scallop shell", etc., it is understood by anyone who knows anything about shells, that the two valves together constitute one shell.  A single valve is really only half of a shell.

What further identification do you need?  If you can post a picture, someone here can probably tell you just what kind of scallop it is (there are about 300 different species of scallops), and in what part of the world it was most likely collected.  <span class="petit">--Last edited by Paul Monfils on 2009-06-01 01:07:40 --</span>

[donna murphy]

Thanks for your help.  This info is for the magazine "Miniature Collector" and is to describe a (I think) a Pink Pacific Scallop shell that I used to make a shower (top and bottom) for a bathroom using nautilus shells for the bathtub, toilet and bidet as well as many other shells for the lights, mirror frame, laundry hamper, etc.  I just didn't know what to call them - a pair or a set, but will just use the term - shell.  Thanks again.