Typically, adult females release larval crabs, termed zoea, from high salinity areas of coastal estuaries in late spring. The zoea are advected offshore, eventually transforming into megalopae, which re-enter coastal estuaries and bays. Megalopae settle into favorable habitats, such as submerged aquatic vegetation and oyster reefs, eventually taking on the juvenile form which disperses widely, while continuing to mature .
Mature males compete for pre-pubertal females.
Successful males cradle the female until she molts at which time insemination occurs. The adult crabs then separate. The female likely does not mate again, and stores the sperm to be used in subsequent periods of reproduction. Pregnant females carry the eggs externally as a sponge beneath their pleiopods. As the eggs develop, the females return to the high salinity areas where the eggs undergo the final maturation and the zoea are released.