Eleven individual larvae (3.6-8.0 mm notochord length, NL) were collected from the southern East Sea of Korea in July, 2010, and the adjacent Sea of Jeju Island in August, 2011. Five individuals were identified using mitochon-drial DNA cytochrome oxidase subunit I (COI) sequences (494 base pairs). All were identified as Auxis rochei, their mtCOI sequences being consistent with those of adult A. rochei (d=0.000), followed by Auxis thazard (d=0.027). In terms of morphology, A. rochei larvae showed a preflexion stage of 4.8 mm NL, but a flexion stage between 5.2-6.2 mm NL, and subsequently a postflexion stage between 6.6-8.0 mm NL. During the larval stage, A. rochei differed from A. thazard in having no (or few) melanophores in the lateral caudal region. Key words : Auxis rochei, Lavae, Identification, mtCOI, Morphological development