Something colorful, something new

On 15 September, Eric and I noticed some very small scallop shells washed up on Salmon Creek Beach.  Here's an example:

 

We were impressed with the diversity of shell colors and patterns:

 

Pick your favorite!

 

 

These are juvenile Rock Scallops (Crassadoma gigantea).  Not only did we discover how diverse their shells can be, but by looking at them up close, we learned something new.

 

Did you notice the row of teeth below the hinge?  (To me, it almost looks like a line of small arching waves.)  This feature is called a ctenolium.  The teeth guide the byssal threads that the scallop uses to attach to the substrate when it's young.