A Valuable Resource of the South China Sea

The black-winged pearl oyster (Pteria penguin) is found along the coasts of Hainan Island, the Leizhou Peninsula, and other maritime areas of the South China Sea. This large bivalve is known for its rapid growth, making it a particularly attractive species for pearl aquaculture.

Farming trials were launched about five years ago. Initially, wild oysters were collected to produce hemispherical pearls (mabé), and mature specimens from the wild were selected to serve as broodstock for spat production.

Mastered Farming Techniques

After several series of trials, researchers developed a complete farming process that includes:

• Selection and rearing of oysters

• Spawning induction

• Larval rearing

• Spat collection

• Grow-out to adulthood

This monograph provides a detailed description of each stage, from zygote to adult.

Towards the Production of Round Pearls

With sufficient reproduction achieved — first from wild oysters and later from farmed stocks — researchers have obtained enough oysters to conduct production trials.

Two companies — one based on Hainan Island, the other on the Leizhou Peninsula — collaborated in the research efforts and successfully developed an efficient technique for mabé production.

More recently, the teams have succeeded in producing the first round pearls from the black-winged oyster, marking a significant step forward for the industry. This monograph provides an overview of the techniques for producing both hemispherical and round pearls from this promising species.