A histological study of the gonadal organization of 163 Symphodus cinereus caught in the Bay of Naples between January 1988 and January 1990 demonstrated the absence of sexual inversion in this species. Four phases of gonadal development, related to the seasonal cycle, are described. During the reproductive period, the ovaries showed asynchrony in oocyte development, which is typical of serial spawners. The reproductive phase in males begins a month early than in females.