Larval development in decapod crustaceans is marked by variable growth patterns and changes in weight and biochemical composition. Larvae of the stone crab,Menippe adina, were mass-reared under laboratory conditions (28 °C; 20%0S) from hatching to the megalopa stage. Growth inM adinais exponential throughout the larval stages (y = 10.395e01592x, R2=0.98). Dry weight increased by 16-fold from the first to fifth zoeal stage (ZI-ZV), and by day 22 the average weight for megalopae was 272.5±48.6 μg. Iatroscan lipid class analysis revealed that polar lipids (>64%) and neutral lipids, of which steryl esters (>20%) were dominant, represent the major lipid classes in larvae at every stage. Free fatty acids and free sterols were present in small amounts, but there was no trace of diacylglycerols. Triacylglycerols represented on average 3% of total lipids. Total lipids of zoeae and megalopae contained substantial concentrations of palmitic (16:0), stearic (18:0), eicosapentaenoic (20:5ω3), oleic (18:1ω9) and arachidonic (20:4ω6). Proximate biochemical composition revealed conspicuous variations during metamorphosis that appear cyclic in nature.