Regarding both species....

M. mercenaria notata are also the staple of the many aquaculture
operations in the Delmarva Peninsula, in the shell piles down there
the notata look like they are at least half of more of the shells,
though when the shells get really large it is my impression that the
markings fade out altogether or are nearly  imperceptible as just a
slightly darker background shade. Shells sold in grocery stores here
in NY are often imported/tagged from chincoteague and include many
notata. Of the many encountered  "wild"  quahogs while shelling
locally, notata are still pretty uncommon and to find a decent sized
well-marked notata  is always a nice find.

Re irradians, in the last few years we  have found a couple on eastern
long island that approach what I call "pastel" or neon- orange in
color.   They- and other colorful variants-  even have the quite thin,
blistered  shells that seem to be  trademarks of the aquacultured
ones. SInce the crash of the local bay scallops in the 1970s
Massachusetts stocks have been brought in (at least initially after
the crash) and we amateur collectors wonder if/ how much the patterns
and colors we see now could represent an exchange of genetic material
between the wild and raised populations, and between MA and NY. Some
of todays colors and patterns look different than those I remember or
have seen  from "those 70s shells" and I have shells from S.
Massachusetts (Nantucket, I thnk)  that aren't too far off in color
and  that I have been told are a mix of the wild and aquacultured MA
shells.

As usual, manipulation and movement  of  organisms by man confuses
the situation.

On 2/16/15, John Timmerman <[log in to unmask]> wrote:
> Mercenaria mercenaria notata are also more plentiful in North Carolina beds
> than they once were by result of seeding of those beds by artificial
> methods. I wondered if there was a corollary in the early 1980’s when I
> sold
> seafood and we received Mercenaria from North Carolina that were from
> seeded
> beds and for the first time in my life saw (and saved the best shells for
> my
> collection) notata specimens.
>
>
>
> Makes sense that the colors are genetically driven. If very colorful
> Argopecten irradians fetch their growers a premium at market it would
> follow
> that they would try to maximize the occurrence of such via selective
> breeding? The brilliant colors I see in the Southeast Asian Argopecten
> irradians  and those I have from the farming operation in USA do occur in
> the wild but are very rare. I have never seen a pure orange wild Argopectin
> irradians but brownish orange examples from south shore of Cape Cod.  It’s
> would just be a matter of breeding the brown out.
>
>
>
> John
>
>
>
> From: Conchologists List [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of
> Harry Lee
> Sent: Monday, February 16, 2015 5:53 PM
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: Re: [CONCH-L] Argopecten irradians?
>
>
>
> The Mercenaria mercenaria mariculture juggernaut uses "notata" forms as a
> marker vs. native stock, e.g., in and around Cedar Key, w. central FL.
>
> It appears color pattern in these as well as Argopecten irradians has a
> genetic basis.
>
> Harry
>
>
> At 05:35 PM 2/16/2015, David Campbell wrote:
>
>
>
> Yes, A. irradians is extensively cultured in China.  There are plenty of
> native scallops there, but people tend to transfer species around and then
> be surprised when people prefer the native species or when there are
> problems from competition, invasive diseases, or invasive associated other
> species.Â
>
> More colorful forms are often popular for cultivation.Â
>
> On Sun, Feb 15, 2015 at 11:07 PM, Ron G. Noseworthy <[log in to unmask]>
> wrote:
>
> Hi, John!
>
> I believe that the Asian specimens you mentioned are the result of A.
> irradians being introduced to Northeastern Asia, especially China, for
> aquaculture purposes.  When I was in northeastern China (Dalian) in 2004,
> I
> collected several specimens, although those were rather plain in color,
> grayish or brownish.  This species is cultivated rather extensively in
> that
> area and often exported to Korea, although it has also been introduced to
> the east coast of the Korean Peninsula.
>
> At the time, when I first collected my specimens, I suspected that they
> were
> A. irradians, and a later check with a colleague at the aquaculture lab in
> our uniersity confirmed that identification.
>
> All the best from Jeju Island!
>
> Ron
>
> --------------------------------------------
>
> On Mon, 2/16/15, John Timmerman < [log in to unmask]
> <mailto:[log in to unmask]> > wrote:
>
> Â Subject: [CONCH-L] argopecten irradians?
>
> Â To: [log in to unmask]
>
> Â Received: Monday, February 16, 2015, 11:45 AM
>
> Â I always understood
>
> Â Argopectin irradians to be from the Western Atlantic of
>
> Â North America.
>
> Â Â I see the
>
> Â species attributed to the South China Sea by several
>
> Â different dealers of specimen shells. The specimens are
>
> Â often very colorful and of delicate structure compared to
>
> Â the more robust Atlantic specimens. I have a friend who
>
> Â obtained a selection of specimens that appear like the Asian
>
> Â specimens from a farming operation in Massachusetts USA. The
>
> Â owner said that he packed the mollusk alive and airfreighted
>
> Â them to Japan, Korea, China etc. where they are marketed as
>
> Â high end cuisine. Colorful shells are especially prized by
>
> Â the chefs thus brilliant colors are selected for shipping.
>
> Â Those specimens from SE Asia appear exactly as those I have
>
>  from the farm operation in USA.   I am confused. Is Argopecten
>
> Â irradians a worldwide species or are the Asian examples
>
> Â possible escapees (or purposely introduce) of those that
>
> Â were grown in North America and shipped alive to that part
>
> Â of the world? Or are they a different species altogether?
>
> Â  Â John
>
> Â Timmerman
>
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>
> --
> Dr. David Campbell
> Assistant Professor, Geology
> Department of Natural Sciences
> Box 7270
> Gardner-Webb University
> Boiling Springs NC 28017
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