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

Development 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 mm3, 0.003±0.0002 mm3, 0.47±0.02 mm, 54±8 μm, 299±11 μm, 157±8 μm, 911±0.3 μm, and 827±0.03 μm. When the mouth opened 40 h after hatching, these measurements were 2.87±0.014 mm, 0.003±0.001 mm3, 0.001±0.0001 mm3, 0.61±0.015 mm, 134±8 μm, 376±10 μm, 221±13 μm, 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 (r2 = 0.88) and total length and oil globule volume (r2 = 0.76), and positive allometry for the relation- ship between total length and digestive tube length (r2 = 0.89)