This study focuses on the ovarian maturation stages in Farfantepenaeus paulensis, which are reported for each stage with histologic, stereological, and morphometric analyses, as well as the specific female protein profile. Unilateral eyestalk-ablated females were dissected and the middle lobes of each ovary were rinsed in cold 100 mM phosphate buffered saline containing 0.001 PMSF, for light microscopic and biochemical analyses. Fragments of ovary were fixed in Bouin's solution, cut into 7 μm sections and stained for morphometric and stereological analyses. Immunohistochemistry was used for the detection of vitellin immunoreactivity. The ovarian protein profile was determined using ELISA, SDS-PAGE and Western blot assays. Five ovarian maturation stages were classified by histological analysis: immature, early maturing, late maturing, mature, and spent. Germ cell diameter varied from 48 μm (± 8) for oögonia in the immature stage to 224 μm (± 43) for vitellogenic oöcytes in the mature stage. Protein profiles in ovarian stages showed the presence of seven bands and in Western blot analysis two bands immunoreactive to vitellin antiserum were detected with molecular weights of 105 kDa and 75 kDa. In the ELISA assay vitellin was detected in the five maturation stages and a gradual increase of this protein was observed from the immature stage to mature stages.