3. Results
3.1. Larval growth
The increase in total length during the firstmonth is shown in Fig. 1.
The larvae hatched with 3.4 mm average TL and exhibited a very fast
growth reaching between 4 and 5 cm at the end of the first month.
The yolk reserves were consumed rapidly (Fig. 2). This fast yolk consumption
allowed the larvae to reach 3.8 mm at the opening of the
mouth at the second day post-hatching. By this time the yolk was
completely exhausted though the oil globule still lasted one more day
to be consumed. The size of the jaws increased progressively faster
than the total body length from the opening of the mouth up to 21
dph, and then the jaw length/TL ratio decreased (Fig. 3).
3.2. Organogenesis of digestive and visual systems and other structures
Main ontogenetic events occurring during the firstmonth of Atlantic
bluefin tuna larval life are summarised in Tables 1 and 2. The present
tabular overview of organogenesis in T. thynnus provides valuable