Abstract: In the present study the embryonic and yolk-sac larval growth and development of common sharpnout sea bream Diplodus puntazzo (Cetti, 1777), are described and illustrated. The eggs were obtained from captive broodstock (F1 generation cultured specimens) in October of 2009. Egg incubation and yolk-sac larval development was performed in three laboratory tanks (of 35 l each) at temperature condition of 21°C. For the study of ontogeny, were sampled in the embryonic stage 25 eggs every 30 min and in yolk-sac larval stage, 10 specimens every 4 h. Eggs of D. puntazzo are typical sparid eggs whose presented a diameter of 0.868±0.009 μm and a wet weight of 0.349±0.014 mg, while contain a lipid globule of 0.237±0.007 μm diameter. At hatching (41 h after fertilization) the larvae of D. puntazzo measured 2.179±0.019 mm TL. The yolk sac resorted 64 h after hatching (autotrophic phase ends), when the larvae reached 3.102±0.046 mm TL. The aim of the present study was to acquire further knowledge on the autotrophic ontogeny of D. puntazzo, to help both commercial aquaculture and ichthyoplankton studies.