【Objective】The timing and characteristics of embryonic development of Litopenaeus vannamei were studied to provide references for suitable operating time of artificial chromosome doubling in subsequent gynogenetic induction and artificial seed production. 【Method】Oosperms from mature artificial cultivated Litopenaeus vannamei Guihai 1 was used as the research objects. The whole process of embryonic development， from egg laying up to larva hatching， was observed and described at different temperature. 【Result】 According to the morphological changes， the embryonic development of Ltiopenaeus vannamei could be divided into the following seven stages: germinal stage， cleavage stage， blastula stage， gastrula stage， limb bud stage， intramembrane nauplius stage and nauplius stage. The whole process of embryonic development endured 11.5-11.8 h. Water temperature variation significantly affected polar body releasing and hatching time of oosperm. Every time water temperature fell by 1 ℃， hatching time increased by 0.6 h. At water temperature range of 28.0-30.5 ℃， the first polar body exclusion time of oosperm was 7-13 min， the second polar body exclusion time of oosperm was 8-14 min and the whole process of embryonic development took about 11.5-13.0 h. At the temperature of 30.5 ℃， the first and second polar body exclusion time of oosperm was 7-9 and 8-10 min， respectively. At the temperature of 30.5 ℃ and salinity of 28.6‰， 8-10 min after egg exclusion was the optimal time for inducing chromosome doubling in Litopenaeus vannamei. 【Conclusion】Under the premise of normal development of oosperms， appropriately reducing water temperature could delay the development process and create more adequate operating window for artificial induction of chromosome doubling in Litopenaeus vannamei. Even split could be used as an important standard for judging the oosperm and unfertilized egg of Litopenaeus vannamei.