"At mid-autumn, purple crabs come fresh to market" -descriptions in traditional Chinese literature of plump autumn crabs have deeply influenced later people's assumptions. Yet in warmer climes, crabs 'reproduction is not limited to one season. Taiwan's crabs can produce eggs repeatedly at different times throughout the year. For instance, after spawning at the end of summer, rock crabs mate for a second time in late winter.
「中秋紫蟹進鮮來」，傳統文學裡對秋天蟹肥的描述，深深影響後人對螃蟹的看法，然而，天候炎熱地區的螃蟹常展現豐沛的生命力，不受繁殖季節限制，台灣螃蟹就不時「重複」抱卵，比如兩頭尖尖的「蜞仔」，夏秋之交抱卵後，冬末再度「珠胎暗結」。