The ion-transport enzyme activities were studied in the nauplii 1-2, zoea 1-3, mysis 1-3, and postlarva 1-7 of the shrimps Marsupenaeus japonicus and Fenneropenaeus chinensis. The results showed that total ATPase, Na+-K+-ATPase, and V-ATPase (V-type H+-ATPase) activities increased during the early development for both the species, from zero in nauplii to stable levels after zoea stage. The enzyme activities of the latter species were significantly higher than those of the former species after zoea stage (F>F0.05). The contributions of Na+-K+-ATPase, V-ATPase and HCO3--ATPase to the total ATPase activity of the two species varied in different developmental stages and accounted for 40%-70%, 22%-46% and 2%-13% in M. japonicus from zoea to postlarva stage, whilst the shares of them were 42%-69%, 28%-44% and 2.5%-22%, respectively in Echinensis. These findings suggest the possible culture of the two species with varying water quality, especially the salinity and pH.