The life history, consisting of 2 zoeal stages and a megalopa of the porcellanid crab Pachycheles natalensis (Krauss), as reared in the laboratory has been fully described, along with illustrations.

Necessary comparisons have been made between the larvae of P. natalensis and those of P. stevensii and P. rudis. An attempt has been made to give the generic features of Pachycheles based on the larvae of the above three species. A key to the first zoeal stage of the known species of the genus is also formulated.