Developmental sequences of characters concerned in swimming and feeding function were examined on laboratory-reared seabass larvae. Based on a scheme of development events constructed in this study, the early life hisory of the species can be divided into the following five phases. A (to about 2.5 mm TL): larvae have no noticeable skeletal structure concerned in swimming and feeding function. B (to about 4.5 mm TL): principal elements of swimming-related characters appear and start to develop; jaw and pharyngeal teeth strt to develop. C (to about 6.0 mm TL): position of the greatest body depth begins to shift bacward; dorsal and anal fin-rays attain to adult commplements; serration-like upper jaw teeth decrease in number and finally disappear. D (to 7.0 - 7.5 mm TL): notochord end flection is completed; conical spper jaw teeth start to develop, replacing the serration-like teeth. E (beyond 7.0 - 7.5 mmTL): larvae can be regarded as reaching juvenile stage in this phase from the view-point of functional morphology, although the first larvae with completely develop fin-ray counts was 10.25 mm TL in this study.