In situ growth of pearl oysters Pinctada mazatlanica (Hanley 1856) and Pteria sterna (Gould 1851) under repopulation conditions at Bahia de La Paz, Baja California Sur, Mexico

Pearl oysters Pinctada mazatlanica (Hanley 1856) and Pteria sterna (Gould 1851) were studied for an annual cycle of in situ growth from May 1992 to April 1993. Organisms generated from extensive culture were kept under repopulation conditions at Caleta El Merito. Growth measurements of shell height and length were taken monthly. Data were used to build the annual growth curve of both species, to test the temporal relationship between shell height and length, to calculate monthly and total growth rate, to follow the modal progression with the ELEFAN software, and to fit the growth curve to the Von Bertalanffy equation. Growth dimensions increased steadily during the annual cycle, from 7 to 18 months old for P. mazatlanica and from 11 to 22 months for P. sterna. No significant differences were detected between shell height and length during growth, although length seemed to grow faster. The ELEFAN program identified two modes in P. mazatlanica (Rn= 0.205) and a single one for P. sterna (Rn= 0.557). A positive correlation to the Von Bertalanffy equation was seen for both species (r2= 0.97 for both species).