THE DEVELOPMENT OF EGG AND LARVAE OF PRIACANTHUS MACRACANTHUS (CUVIER et VALENCIENNES)

The present report deals with observations on the development of artificiallyfertillized egg and the postlarvae stage of Priacanthus macracanthus. The work wascarried out in Qinglan Harbour of Hainan Island in May 4, 1974. The postlarvaewere collected with plankton net from the North part of Nan Hai during themonths March to December, 1973. The fertilized eggs were transparent, sphericaland buoyant, At water temperature in 27℃, for 16.5 hours, the fertilized eggs hat-ched. The newly hatched larvae were 1.38mm in total length, and on the head anddorsal part of the body branched dark pigments appeared. 24 hours later the larvaereached fo 2.3mm in total length, and 5+19=24 myotomes were clearly seen. Thepostlarvae have an extremely large head, big-eyes, with a backward spear-shapedoccipital spine and the out margin of the supraorbital ridge was serrated. As it grewto juvenile many epidermal-spines appeared on the abdominal and the tail regions.