About Pinctada mazatlanica (Hanley, 1856)
The valves of Pinctada mazatlanica are shallow, and reach a maximum length of 20 cm (7.9 in). They are generally round, with little to no wing-like extensions on the hinge margin; such extensions are common in other species in the same family. When the organism is alive, its shell has a shaggy periostracum, which is a skin-like outer coating. The exterior of the valves is grayish-brown and scaly, while the interior is brilliantly nacreous, made of iridescent mother-of-pearl. Pinctada mazatlanica occurs in the eastern Pacific Ocean, ranging from Baja California Sur to Peru, and including the Gulf of California. It is also widespread across the Galapagos Islands. This species of pearl oyster lives in shallow water, between 3 and 30 meters (9.8 to 98.4 ft) deep, where it grows on coral reefs and rocky bottoms.
