Electric Flame Scallop

The Electric Flame Scallop, Ctenoides ales, is a vibrant, red-mantled bivalve mollusk known for its "electric" flashes, which are actually rapid reflections of light off its mantle, not bioluminescence. 

Here's a more detailed description:

• Appearance:
• It has a rough, file-like shell, hence the name "file clam". 
  
• The mantle (soft tissue) is a vibrant red-orange color. 
  
• It has thin red or white tentacles extending from the mantle edge. 
  
• The "electric" flashes are caused by rapid reflections of light off a specialized, reflective tissue in the mantle. 
  
• Behavior:
• It's a filter feeder, consuming microscopic phytoplankton. 
  
• When threatened, it can "swim" by clapping its valves together and propelling itself with jets of water. 
  
• It can attach itself to surfaces with strong byssal threads. 
  
• Habitat and Care:
• It's found in the tropical waters of the central Indo-Pacific region. 
  
• In aquariums, it requires a well-established, stable reef tank with proper water parameters and a diet of phytoplankton and other organic matter. 
  
• It's a moderately challenging tank inhabitant and should be kept with compatible species. 
  
• Scientific Classification:
• Kingdom: Animalia 
  
• Phylum: Mollusca 
  
• Class: Bivalvia 
  
• Order: Limida 
  
• Family: Limidae 
  
• Genus: Ctenoides
• Species: C. ales