The present study provides novel information on carapace width-weight (CWR) relationship and growth parameters of the mud crab Scylla olivacea (Herbst, 1796) inhabiting the Pichavaram mangroves, east coast of India based on length frequency data sets during June 2010 to May 2012. CWR revealed linear regression between carapace width and weight in both sexes, and overall CWR exponent (b) values acquired for males and females are 3.035 (r 2 = 0.962) and 2.925 (r 2 = 0.933) respectively. The growth parameters, CW∞, K and t o derived for males and females were 148.05, 0.762 year−1 and −0.637 and 138.80 mm, 0.856 year−1 and −0.681 respectively. The growth of S. olivacea was assessed through various methods in such a way that the outcome of one method functions as a rider, check and control over the other.

The first internal transcribed spacer (ITS-1) of nuclear ribosomal DNA and mitochondrial DNA 16S rRNA were amplified by Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using genomic DNA extracted from adult tissue of four species of Scylla spp. and the first zoeal stages of S. serrata, S. paramamosain and S. olivacea as template. Using the ITS-1 region, variation in product fragment length was found to be useful for distinguishing S. serrata and S. olivacea from two other species. The other two species (S. paramamosain and S. tranquebarica) could be identified using the restriction endonuclease Hha I. Using 16S rDNA, all four species were identified using PCR-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) by double digestion with DraI and HindIII. These genetic markers can be used for hybridization breeding studies and in field studies of larval and juvenile mud crabs of the genus Scylla.