) were surveyed in the middle and lower reaches of Pearl River at Zhaoqing section in 2006 and 2007. Sampling was conducted using Jiang net and conical net. Mud carp larvae were found in the samples from May to September, with multiple spawning peak periods in a whole year. The larvae were (5.5±0.4) mm in total length, and ranged from one-chamber-air-bladder stage to yolk-exhausted stage. These larvae were considered drifting from the spawning grounds and spreading between the Qianjiang River and the Xunjiang River, which are 170–380 km upper stream of the sampling site. Mud carp larvae accounted for 3.71% of the total drifting fish larvae. The estimated density of mud carp larvae was higher at night than in the morning and at midday (<0.05). Total drifting fish larvae density varied with the distance off the bank. It was higher at riverside than in the midchannel (<0.01). ensity of mud carp larvae were extremely significantly correlated with water discharge, water level and turbidity(<0.01), and were significantly correlated with water temperature and sampling time (<0.05).