<span name="style_bold">Growht and mortality of the mollusk </span><span name="style_italic">Pteria sterna </span><span name="style_bold">in wild banks of Southern Baja California, Mexico. </span>The Gulf of California nacre shell <span name="style_italic">Pteria sterna </span>is an important marine resource in Mexico, and the main species for "half" and round pearl production in the American continent. Wild spat can only be extracted legally for research or culture activities. This study calculates growth and mortality parameters for wild stocks in the eastern coast of Southern Baja California. Height’s data (353 dorso-ventral measurements) were taken from 1997 to 1999 at Santa Rosalía, Mulegé and Loreto Bay coast. The maximum length was estimated at 130.35 mm (124.22-136.48 mm, p&gt;0.95). The length frequency data were set in a "virtual year". Seasonal von Bertalanffy growth parameters were calculated in the ELEFAN I routine, the values are: <span name="style_italic">L<span name="style_sub">∞ </span></span>= 156.02 mm, <span name="style_sub">∞ </span><span name="style_italic">k </span>= 0.48 year<span name="style_sup">-1</span>, <span name="style_italic">t<span name="style_sub">0 </span></span>= -0.216 years, C = 0.43, WP = 0.73. and<span name="style_sub">0 </span><span name="style_italic"> t<span name="style_sub">s</span> </span>= 0.5. The growth performance index was Φ<span name="style_sub">s</span> <span name="style_italic">’ </span>= 4.068. The total mortality was calculated from length-converted catch curve Z = 3.34 year<span name="style_sup">-1</span>. The length-weight relationship was fixed for the equation W = 0.000756 * L<span name="style_sub">(i)</span><span name="style_sup">2.7075 </span>(r<span name="style_sup">2</span>= 0.90, n = 233). The growth parameters values in experimental repopulation conditions are quite different, in contrast with the growth estimated in wild stocks oysters. The value of total mortality is similar to the estimations for <span name="style_italic">Pinctada fucata </span>populations from the Red Sea and <span name="style_italic">P. radiata </span>from the Mediterranean Sea. Rev. Biol. Trop. 57 (3): 659-670. Epub 2009 September 30.from the Mediterranean Sea. Rev. Biol. Trop. 57 (3): 659-670. Epub 2009 September 30.

concha nácar; bancos naturales; parámetros de crecimiento; mortalidad total; Pteria sterna; Baja California Sur