Total lipids, lipid classes and their associated fatty acids were quantified in developing eggs, yolk-sac larvae and starving larvae (from day 1 to day 5 after hatching) of the Senegal sole,Solea senegalensis Kaup. Larvae during early development and starvation consumed about 0.6% of its dry weight per day, mainly due to lipid catabolism. There was a net consumption of approximately 1.7% total lipid per day, and a net energy utilization of 1.3 kcal g⁻¹ dry weight biomass day⁻¹, mostly derived from lipid depletion. The overall decrease of total neutral lipids (mainly triacylglycerols and sterol esters) was 3.4 faster than that of total polar lipids (primarily phosphatidylcholine), with rates of 29.2 and 8.7 μg mg⁻¹ dry weight biomass day⁻¹, respectively. There was a concomitant increase in PE, PS and phosphatidic acid during the period under study. Total saturated and total monounsaturated fatty acids were catabolized (primarily 16∶0 and 16∶1 (n-7)) as energy substrates at rates of 7.4 and 10.9 μg mg⁻¹ total lipid day⁻¹, whereas total PUFAs were conserved. DHA was specifically retained in PE, whereas EPA and DHA were catabolized in PC and triacylglycerol. Total DMA and AA contents in total lipid increased during early development and starvation. The data denote a pattern of lipid metabolism during early development of Senegal sole similar to that of other marine larval fish, with eggs containing high amounts of total lipids (presence of oil globule/s), from temperate waters and with short developmental periods; the pattern contrasts with fish larvae from eggs of cold water fish species that contain low levels of total lipids (lack of oil globule/s) and have long developmental periods.