Osmoregulation was studied throughout the embryonic development of Astacus leptodactylus. Egg-carrying females were held in freshwater (FW) and in three dilute seawater media (200, 400, 600 mosm kg(-1), 6.8, 13.6, 20.4 per thousand salinity). In FW, changes in peri-embryonic fluid (PEF) and (when available) embryonic hemolymph osmolality were followed from newly-laid eggs to hatching (for an embryonic eye index, EI, of 430-450 microm) and in first-stage juveniles. The PEF and/or hemolymph osmolality remained stable at about 360-380 mosm kg(-1) from early to late (EI 410 microm) embryos; it decreased prior to hatching (EI 420 microm) and in newly-hatched juveniles, down to 290 mosm kg(-1). Artificial opening and removal of the egg membranes, followed by direct exposure to FW, demonstrated that the ability to hyper-osmoregulate, and consequently to survive, in FW appears in embryos with EI > or = 410 microm, i.e., only a few hours or days before hatching. Following a transfer to the dilute seawater media, the PEF/hemolymph osmolality increased slowly over 18-20 days and became isosmotic with the external media at 13.6 and 20.4 per thousand. The embryos died at EI 380-395 microm in these media, and only at 6.8 per thousand was the development completed until successful hatch. These results demonstrate that (1) the embryos become able to osmoregulate in FW shortly before hatching, (2) the embryos are osmo-protected in the eggs during their development, (3) embryonic development and hatching are possible up to a salinity of 7 per thousand. These results are discussed in relation to freshwater adaptation of crayfish.