Scallops

Of all mollusks, the scallop is the one that leads the most interesting life. While the oyster and mussel are confined to a still life, attached to a piece of rock—oblivious of a world beyond that of open mouths, and unable to move around if they grow discontented—the scallop is able to take control of its own life. It does so by snapping its upper valve firmly shut with its powerful oversize adductor muscle and thus expelling water through its fan-shaped shell. The jet stream it produces can propel it as far as three feet at a time, making it as mobile as most crustaceans. When it is not jetting around from one place to another looking for adventure, it is demonstrating its freedom to do so by jumping up and down on the sea bank. If you are diving off the coast of Norway, you may be lucky enough to come across a sandbank full of dancing scallops, an unbelievably beautiful underwater ballet.