Fecundity was found to vary considerably from individual to. individual and ranged from 1216
to 89747 eggis (mean = 17355-1 ± 19752-2 eggs) for'pravvns measuring 9-Qcm to 15-8cm
(mean = 11-61 ± l-34cm) total length and weighing 6-22 to 45-80g (niean = 16-87 ±8-26g).
The relationship of fecundity to total length and body weight (total and soniatic) of the prawn
is given in Table 1. Using the logarithms of the values for fecundity (£N) arid total length
{TL), the following equation was derived:-
Log EN = - 6-2785 + 6-3617 log TL (r = 0-73)
The resulting power equation for this relationship >vas:
EN = 0-001876
Egg numbers were found to be increasing with both total and somatic weight. Fecundity
had been expressed per unit length and unit weight of prawn. Egg number/cm TL increased
with prawn length and egg number/g BW also increased with prawn weight. It has been
reported that fecundity tends to decrease when animals reach a certain size (Nikolsky 1963).
However, within the size range of the prawns we were able to sample, we found tjiat fecundity
did not show a diecrease after a certain size. Samples of prawns over lOOg ihay be needed in
order to give a more accurate result.