brown, as observed in S. serrata. The ovary also
increased in mass and the grey mass over the ovary
in Stages 2 and 3 of development was identified
as the peri-ovarian fatty body accumulation
(Onyango, 1995). Because of the crab’s size it was
difficult to group the fatty body into sizes and
colours. Maturity Stage 0 was absent in only four
months and this could have been due to the fact
that crabs store sperm for fertilisation, which
promoted ovary development immediately after
spawnings (Erhirarasi & Subramanium, 1980 [in
Prasad & Neelakantan, 1989]). Maturity Stage 1
occurred in low numbers but was completely
absent in June. Maturity Stage 2 was abundant
throughout the study period. The presence of
maturity Stages 2a and 3 confirms that T. crenata
is a continuous breeder.
A few ovigerous crabs with carapace width
above 35 mm had ovaries in Stage 0 of
development. This could have been because they
had no sperms in store to stimulate ovarian
development immediately after spawning. This
observation concurred with observation of Prasad
& Neelakantan (1989) that even larger crabs had
to be impregnated more than once for development
of ovary.