Girella punctata GRAY is a common shore fish in Japan, attaining some 500 mm when full grown.
The author operated artificial insemination of this fish on February 6, 1956, at Urashiri, Nobeoka City, Miyazaki Prefecture, Kyushu, and observed egg development and hatched larvae (Fig.1. a-i).
The egg is bouyant, transparent, colorless and spherical in shape, measuring 1.01-1.05mm in diameter with a single oil globule measuring 0.23-0.25mm in diameter.
The egg development is much the same as other pelagic fish eggs.
Hatching took place in 53-55 hours at the water temperature 16.5-17.2°C, and 60 hours at 11-20°C (mostly 14-17°C).
No pigment developed in the egg.
The newly hatched larva was 2.27-2.35mm in total length, the oil globule situated in the posterior part of the yolk. The myotome number is 11+16 or 10+17=27 (vertebral number of this fish is 10+15=25) (g).
In 1.5 days after hatching the larva attained 2.98-3.01mm in total length, and dendrite melanophores appeared on the yolk surface, and ventral side of the body.
In 3 days the yolk and oil globule was almost entirely consumed and the larva attained 3.58 mm in total length. The melanophores increased in size and number, and the new ones appeared on the dorsal side above the rectum and the posterior part of the tail. The myotome number is 8+18=26.
