The euryhaline white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei lives in both coastal and oceanic areas through ontogeny. Its osmoregulation pattern and variations in its tolerance to salinity are partially known from several studies under different experimental conditions (developmental stages, salinities and acclimation procedures). Although L. vannamei is recognized as one of the most euryhaline penaeid species, with adults and juveniles exhibiting a hyper–hypo-osmoregulatory pattern and being able to tolerate a wide salinity range, little is known on larval and early postlarval strategies to cope with salinity fluctuations. In order to establish their euryhalinity range and to fully understand the ontogenetic changes in L. vannamei osmoregulatory pattern