A STUDY ON EMBRYONIC DEVELOPMENT OF YELLOW FIN SEABREAM (ACANTHOPAGRUS LATUS)

Embryonic and larval development stages of yellow fin seabream (Acanthopagrus latus) were studied in two average temperatures (21 and 24°C) in Marine Fish Research Center in Emam Khomeini Port. Egg diameter in initiation of fertilization was 739.35±0.0081m and during final hatching it was 792.36±0.0095m. The average egg diameter from fertilization until final hatching was 763.49±0.0016m. The average egg diameter was 751.81±0.0064m inmurola stage, 767.55±0.0074m in nurula stage, 779.97±0.0084m in appearance of heart stage and 780.84±0.0086 in the increasing of pigmentation stage. Duration of egg incubation and embryo development of yellow fin seabream (Acanthopagrus latus) was 31 hours and 15 minutes at 20±1oC and 26 hours and 15 minutes at 23±1oC. In this study, 20 stages of embryo development of yellow fin seabream were identified through incubation period from fertilization to final hatching.
It seems that water temperature can be an effective environmental factor in the fish embryo development, so that hatching at 20±1oC occurred in 5 hours later than when at 20±1oC. Temperature change had no effect on the number of larvae and characteristics of embryo development. The information gathered through this study is useful when planning for artificial reproduction of this commercial species and can improve the propagation process.