Lion's Paw Scallop
Nodipecten fragosus
Also known as Northern Lion's Paw, Nodipecten nodosus
Markings and exact colorations may vary.
Photo: Jacob Weston via iNaturalist · CC BY 4.0 · cropped & resized · source
A heavy, knobby scallop in deep orange or red, the trophy scallop of Florida beaches.
- Typical size
- 3–6 in
- How often it turns up
- Rare as a beach find
- Collecting
- Usually legal to collect
- Handling
- Safe to handle
Beach-found empties are fine to keep. Most specimens in collections were collected by divers, not on shore.
How to tell it apart
- Thick valves with 7–9 broad ribs
- Large hollow knobs along each rib
- Deep orange, red or maroon colour
Where to find these in Florida
Beaches rated very good or excellent for shells. Each page shows today’s score, the best window and access details.
- Anclote Key Preserve State Park · Tarpon Springs
- Bean Point · Anna Maria
- Beer Can Island (Greer Island) · Longboat Key
- Boca Grande Public Beach · Boca Grande
- Bowman's Beach · Sanibel
- Captiva Beach · Captiva
- Cayo Costa State Park · Cayo Costa
- Delnor-Wiggins Pass State Park · Naples
- Don Pedro Island State Park · Cape Haze
- Dr. Julian G. Bruce St. George Island State Park · St. George Island
- Gasparilla Island State Park · Boca Grande
- Gulfside City Park (Algiers Beach) · Sanibel
Found one?
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