The vitellogenin receptor (VgR) plays an important role in oocyte maturation. VgRs have been studied extensively in various animals from vertebrates to invertebrates, including the chicken, Oreochromis aureus, insects, Macrobrachium rosenbergii and . The aims of this study were to identify and characterize the VgR from , to investigate its expression level during ovarian development, and to describe its interactions with Vg. The full-length cDNA was cloned using degenerated oligonucleotide primers and rapid amplification of cDNA ends technology. Quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction analysis was used to quantify relative ovarian development. The results showed that the full-length was 5892 bp, containing an open reading frame of 5661 bp, encoding a 1886 amino acid polypeptide. The shrimp VgR contained several conserved domains, such as a ligand-binding domain, an epidermal growth factor-precursor domain, a transmembrane domain, and a cytoplasmic domain; thus, it belongs to the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) gene family. A phylogenetic analysis revealed that the shrimp VgR was more closely related to VgRs from other crustaceans and insects, rather than to vertebrate VgRs, and was distant from other LDLR members. The VgR was expressed in various tissues, and the highest expression was detected in the ovary. Ovarian mRNA expression level reached the maximum at stage III of ovarian development and was significantly positively correlated with Vg content in hemolymph and expression level in the hepatopancreas before ovarian maturation was completed. The relative Vg expression level in the hepatopancreas reached the maximum. Post-spawning Vg concentration remained high when ovarian expression level reached the maximum. These results indicate that all VgRs from crustaceans were orthologs of insect VgRs. Vg is synthesized rapidly in the hepatopancreas during maturation to supply a nutrient source for the developing ovary. The VgR sequesters Vg in the hemolymph into developing oocytes during ovarian development. Vg was synthesized within and outside the ovary and was transported into the ovary by VgR during the ovarian recovery stage for subsequent ovarian development.