Final maturation and ovulation were consistently induced in female sábalo by applying single doses of homologous pituitary extracts (PPit) (0.5–1 PPit/kg live weight) or mixtures of pituitary extract with human chorionic gonadotropin ((0.5 PPit + 250 IU HCG)/kg; (1 PPit + 500 IU HCG)/kg). No positive responses were observed in females in which HCG only was applied in doses up to 1000 IU/kg. Stripping and dry fertilization of the ovules produced viable larvae; mean fertilization and hatching rates were 85% and 80%, respectively. Latent period between injection and ovulation decreased from about 12 h at 24.5°C to 9 h at 28°C. Incubation time varied according to temperature between 17 h at 25°C and 12 h at 28°C. Highest hatching rates, and lowest proportions of deformed larvae, were obtained when stripping and fertilization were performed immediately after ovulation. Delays greater than 1 h resulted in decreasing hatching rates and increasing proportions of malformed larvae. For example, artificial fertilization of ovules retained in the ovarian cavity for more than 2 h (at 26°C) produced mean hatching rates under 20% and over 40% malformed larvae.