Larval developmental stages of laboratory-reared silver pomfret, Pampus argenteus

Eggs of the silver pomfret, Pampus argenteus, were collected and artificial ly fertilized by stripping fully-ripe male and female broodstock caught by gillnets in Kuwait waters during June 1997. Larvae hatched from fertilized eggs were reared until 90 days after hatching (DAH) in water temperatures o f 27-30 degrees C. Newly-hatched larvae grew from an average of 2.4 mm in b ody length (BL) to 3.7, 4.4, 7.2 and 8.4 mm at 8, 12, 24 and 30 DAH, respec tively. Myomere and vertebral numbers ranged from 34 to 36. Transformation from the larval to juvenile form was completed at 22.2 mm BL (40 DAH). Dors al and anal fin spines first appeared when juveniles reached 38.8 mm BL (50 DAH). Body depth increased with increase in body length; a rapid increase in body depth occurred in larvae 7.1-8.0 mm, reaching 57% of BL, and furthe r increased to 69% of BL in juveniles 38.8 to 47.9 mm. Pigmentation during development is described and illustrated.