Abstract
Osteological development of the vertebral column and caudal complex in common dentex was described under extensive larval rearing conditions. Generally, the cartilaginous bones developed prior to the membranous bones. The development of the axial skeleton began with the formation of the hypural 1, the neural arches 2 and 3, as well as the haemal arches 1–8 at 4·8, 4·9 and 5·0 mm total length ( L T , measured in vivo ), respectively. By 7·5 mm L T , all the cartilaginous elements were formed, except for the ventral ribs, which formed between the range of 8·4–18·0 mm L T . The caudal lepidotrichia were the first membranous bones to appear (5·3 mm L T ) and attain their full meristic count (7·4 mm L T ), followed by the vertebral centra, which formed between 6·6 and 9·7 mm L T . By 25·0 mm L T , all the elements were fully ossified except for the ventral ribs. The developmental direction and order of all the elements were studied with respect to their formation and ossification. The results were discussed in the contexts of ichthyoplankton, ecology and aquaculture. Compared with other Sparidae species, common dentex followed a pattern of relatively rapid rate of osteological development.