Short communicationExpression patterns of the hatching enzyme genes during embryonic development of tilapia

•The developmental expression patterns of the hatching enzyme genes of tilapia, including TLCE and THCE, were studied.•The expression of TLCE was first evident at gastrula and its expression level peaked at hatching.•The developmental expression patterns of THCE are similar to that of TLCE.•This study provided an insight into the hatching mechanism of the mouth-brooding tilapia embryos.