The morphological and histological changes of gonad in ridgetail prawn (Expalaemon carinicauda) were examined with the development of the external genitalia. The samples were collected monthly in Hampyung Bay on the western coast of Korea, from January to December 2003. The ovaries lie on the dorsal side of the female prawns thorax. The ovary cavity is located below the heart and above the hepatopancreas. The anterior part of the ovary is round and fused, and the posterior part has a pair of tubular structures. Testes are bilaterally symmetrical; the anterior part shows fused feature, and the posterior part consists of a pair of tubules. Based on histological examination, ripe eggs and spermatozoa were observed when mature females and males reach a length of about 14.9 and 11.5 mm CL, respectively. The immature female are almost same shape and structure with matured one in the endopod of first pleopod and appendix interna of the second pleopod, except the number of setae, and appear to be structurally complete after females reach a length of about 14.9 mm CL. The appendix masculina reaching beyond the distal end of the appendix interna of the second pleopod after males reach a length of more than 5.5 mm CL and a fully developed appendix masculina and appendix interna of the second pleopod appear up to a length of 11.5 mm CL.