Knowledge of the ecology of ichthyoplankton (eggs, larvae, and fry) is important for understanding the spawning ecology and the population dynamics of fishery species. In this study, a total of six fishery research cruises were conducted to investigate the community structure and ecology of ichthyoplankton in the central Yellow Sea (34°30'-35°30' N, 119°20'-120°20' E), one of the most concentrated spawning areas for fishery species in Chinese coastal waters, from late April to early July 2013. To collect ichthyoplankton, zooplankton nets (mouth diameter=50 cm, length=145 cm, and mesh size=0.505 mm) were vertically trawled in waters below the 20 m isobath line. The species composition, abundance, and distribution of the ichthyoplankton, and their relationships with environmental factors, were studied. A total of 2247 eggs and 286 larvae were collected during the research cruises. The eggs were identified as belonging to 18 species in 15 genera in 9 families; 3 species could not be identified. The eggs were dominated by Engraulis japonicus, Thryssa kammalensis, Stolephorus commersonii, Johnius belengerii, and Callionymus spp. The larvae were identified as belonging to 21 species in 17 genera in 13 families; only one species could not be identified. The dominant larval species included Protosalanx hyalocranius, Argyrosomus argentatus, E. japonicus, T. kammalensis, and J. belengerii. The abundance of the eggs was positively correlated with the sea surface temperature (SST) but was negatively correlated with the longitude (P < 0.05). In contrast, the abundance of the larvae did not show a significant correlation with any of the investigated environmental factors, such as longitude, latitude, SST, sea surface salinity (SSS), or water depth. Cluster analysis based on the Bray-Curtis similarity index identified three assemblages of eggs and larvae at the 35% and 12% similarity levels, respectively. The eggs were grouped into assemblages dominating the southern waters from 34°48'N (S. commersonii, J. belengerii, and Sardinella zunasi), the < 10 m isobath waters (T. kammalensis), and the northern waters (E. japonicas and Callionymus spp.). The larvae were grouped into assemblages that were mainly distributed in the 34°48'N-35°12'N waters (T. kammalensis and E. japonicus), the shallow waters off Lianyungang (A. argentatus, J. belengerii, and Liza haematocheilus), and the southern part of the study area (Sebastiscus marmoratus and Platycephalus indicus). The findings of this study clarified the spatial and temporal distribution patterns as well as the structure of the ichthyoplankton community in the central Yellow Sea, which may help to improve our understanding of the population dynamics of fishery species in these waters.