Coordination of Reproduction and Molt in Decapods ' S. Raviv 1 , S. Parnes 1 and A. Sagi 1,2 1 Department of Life Sciences and 2 National Institute for Biotechnology in the Negev, Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, P.O. Box 653, Beer-Sheva 84105, Israel INTRODUCTION Factors Affecting the Reproductive Cycle The molt cycle is a constitutive phenomenon in crustaceans, with molting being a complex and energy-demanding process. Therefore, most aspects of the life history of crustaceans are, at least to some extent, synchronized with the molt cycle (Chang, 1995). Reproduction and metabolism in crustaceans depend on the molt stage, and all three phenomenamolt, reproduction and metabolismare correlated with the seasons (Aiken, 1969a; Conan, 1985; Bouchon et al., 1992). Breeding cycles are correlated with seasonal changes in such a way that the offspring are produced at a time most favorable to their survival. The relative importance of particular environmental factors may vary among different species and indeed among different environments (Sastry, 1983; Dall et al., 1990; Bauer, 1992; Bouchon et al., 1992). Generally, the frequency and amplitude of changes in temperature and day length are the proximate factors controlling the temporal patterns of reproduction, especially in species inhabiting the subtropical and temperate latitudes, i.e., in areas