The period immediately following mantle excision is presumably when pearl oysters are more susceptible to mortality. However, despite a significant loss of body (mantle) tissue, the healing process was quick enough to contain haemorrhaging and avoid death. Following excision, the mantle border of P. fucata, at both ends of the wound, rolled inwards towards the centre of the wound. This process reduced the size of the wound and possibly contained haemorrhaging resulting from the severed pallial artery.