This oyster can be found in shallow water along the tropical and subtropical Pacific coast of America, its range including Baja California, Mexico and northern Peru.

Fragments of shell ornaments made from the nacre of the Pacific wing-oyster have been found at ancient burial sites in Mexico, probably belonging to the indigenous Seri people of the Sonora region.

[3] Over-exploitation caused populations of the oyster to become depleted and in 1940 the fishery was closed by the Mexican Government, a ban that still remains in force.

[citation needed] With the dwindling of the number of wild oysters, efforts to farm this species on a commercial scale to produce pearls have been made.

[6] With experience, technicians gain expertise in seeding[2] and yields can be high, with pearls reaching a maximum of 12 mm (0.5 in) in diameter.