In crustaceans, as growth progresses, certain dimensions
of the animal’s body may grow much more than others,
resulting in the phenomenon known as relative growth
(Hartnoll, 1974). Studies of relative growth are often used
to determine changes in the form and size of the abdomen,
pleopods, or chelipeds during ontogeny. Knowledge of these
distinguishing characters and size relationships in sexually
mature individuals is of particular importance in the study of
commercially valuable crustaceans. Such knowledge can be
useful for further studies on the life history of the species and
in the development of its fishery, resource management, and
culture. The mathematical length-weight relationship thus
yields information on the general well-being of individuals,
variation in growth according to sex, size at first maturity,
gonadal development, and breeding season
