Eight primary embryonic developmental stages were assigned to eggs of ballan wrasse Labrus bergylta using key morphological features following standardized nomenclature: Ia, Ib, II, III, IV, V, VI and VI+, reared from single family clutches under comparable environmental conditions in Ireland and Norway. Development in L. bergylta is typical of demersal marine finfish species with a short egg stage. Hatching occurred c. 123 h post-fertilization (hpf) equivalent to 62·5 degree days at 12·2 ± 1·10° C (mean ±S.D.), after which the larvae swam intermittently near the surface of the water column.
© 2012 The Authors. Journal of Fish Biology © 2012 The Fisheries Society of the British Isles.