The baskets housing the Pinctada maxima oysters must be inspected from time-to-time to make sure all is in order. Photo by Nicholas Sturman.
Figure 14. RTX images of the seed pearl (sample no. 100307378872) in two orientations. The RTX images show the whole thickness of the pearl in each orientation; since the linear feature is so fine and the pearl so small, µ-CT analysis did not yield results worth reproducing here.
Transportation on the farm is vital, and so is having a mechanic on hand. Photo by Nicholas Sturman.
Minute Pinctada maxima spat adhere to fine black holders inside the large hatchery tanks. Photo by Nicholas Sturman.
Figure 15. A group of bead-cultured pearls of various hues recovered from hatchery-bred Pinctada maxima oysters on the Lombok farm prior to the authors’ visit. Photo by Julie Poli.
Figure 7. A non-bead-cultured pearl (sample no. 0668689302) before removal from its host. The pearl is positioned in the gonad region and away from the mantle, where natural pearls are usually recovered. Photo by Nicholas Sturman.
View of the Pinctada maxima oysters suspended in their baskets beneath a wooden raft. Photo by Jeffery Bergman.
Figure 13. A seed pearl (sample no.100307378872) after discovery in the organs of the same P. maxima shell from which one of the bead-cultured pearls was recovered. Photo by Jeffery Bergman.
Figure 11. A non-bead-cultured pearl (sample no. 0668688502) positioned near the gonad before removal from its host. Photo by Jeffery Bergman.
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