Prawn -Reproductive System

Prawn is unisexual animal, exhibiting sexual dimorphism. Male and female prawns show striking dissimilarities by which one can easily identify them. Male prawn is larger than female, narrow abdomen, longer and stronger second chelate legs, has appendix masculina are some of the differences with which males can be identified.
Male gonads are a pair of testes, and female gonads are a pair of ovaries, lying in the posterior part of the thoracic cavity, above the hepatopancreas and below the paericardium.
Breeding period is from May to July, during which female carries eggs in its body. Male deposits its spermatozoa near the female genital aperture. Fertilization is external. Young ones hatch out of the fertilized eggs after 4-6 weeks. Young ones resemble the adults except in size. They undergo a series of moults before they become adults.