Embryonic and larval development of striped sea bream (Lithognathus mormyrus L 1758)

WOS: 000230557600008Development of the embryonic and yolk-sac larvae of striped sea bream (Lithognathus mormyrus) was investigated. The average egg and oil globule diameters were 0.71 +/- 0.1286 mm and 0.18 +/- 0.1344 mm, respectively. The morula, gastrula, and neurula stages, somite formation, and hatching occurred 2:10, 5:15, 8:45, 9:45, and 21:15 hours after fertilization. The total length, yolk-sac volume, oil globule volume, digestive tube length, otolith diameter, head length, eye diameter, preanal and postanal lengths of newly hatched larvae were 1.74 +/- 0.03 mm, 0.12 +/- 0.008 mm(3), 0.003 +/- 0.0002 mm(3), 0.47 +/- 0.02 mm, 54 +/- 8 mu m, 299 +/- 11 mu m, 157 +/- 8 mu m, 911 +/- 0.3 mu m, and 827 +/- 0.03 mu m. When the mouth opened 40 h after hatching, these measurements were 2.87 +/- 0.014 mm, 0.003 +/- 0.001 mm(3), 0.001 +/- 0.0001 mm(3), 0.61 +/- 0.015 mm, 134 +/- 8 mu m, 376 +/- 10 mu m, 221 +/- 13 mu m, 1.02 +/- 0.03 mm, and 1.84 +/- 0.03 mm. During the first 18 hours, the larvae reached 84% of its final total length, the yolk sac was 65% absorbed, and the oil globule was 62% absorbed. Statistical analysis showed negative allometry for the relationships between total length and yolk-sac volume (r(2) = 0.88) and total length and oil globule volume (r(2) = 0.76), and positive allometry for the relationship between total length and digestive tube length (r(2) = 0.89)