The timing of marine heatwaves during the moulting cycle affects performance of decapod larvae.

Marine heatwaves (MHW) pose an increasing threat and have a critical impact on meroplanktonic organisms, because their larvae are highly sensitive to environmental stress and key for species' dispersion and population connectivity. This study assesses the effects of MHW on two key moulting cycle periods within first zoea of the valuable crab, Metacarcinus edwardsii. First, the changes in swimming behaviour during zoea I were recorded and associated to moult cycle substages.

Drift Algal Accumulation in Ice Scour Pits Provides an Underestimated Ecological Subsidy in a Novel Antarctic Soft-Sediment Habitat.

Ice scouring is one of the strongest agents of disturbance in nearshore environments at high latitudes. In depths, less than 20 m, grounding icebergs reshape the soft-sediment seabed by gouging furrows called ice pits. Large amounts of drift algae (up to 5.

Feeding Ecology of under Different Environmental Conditions in the West Antarctic Peninsula.

To study how can influence the spatial structure of Antarctic benthic communities and how they respond to disturbance, it is necessary to assess potential dietary shifts in different habitats. We investigated the diets of from Maxwell Bay and South Bay in the West Antarctic Peninsula. A multifaceted approach was applied including in situ observations of cardiac stomach everted contents, isotopic niche, and trophic diversity metrics.

Influence of mating strategies on seminal material investment in crabs.

Reproduction involves high energetic costs which are related to behaviour and gamete production. In females energy allocation to gamete production has been well documented. However, estimations of male investment in seminal material are scarce.

Spatial and temporal stability in the genetic structure of a marine crab despite a biogeographic break.

Elucidating the processes responsible for maintaining the population connectivity of marine benthic species mediated by larval dispersal remains a fundamental question in marine ecology and fishery management. Understanding these processes becomes particularly important in areas with a biogeographic break and unidirectional water movement along the sides of the break. Based on variability at 4209 single-nucleotide polymorphisms in 234 individuals, we determine the genetic structure, temporal genetic stability, and gene flow among populations of the commercially important mola rock crab Metacarcinus edwardsii in a system in southern Chile with a biogeographic break at latitude 42°S.

Assessing diversity of King Crab spp. in the south-eastern pacific using phylogeny and molecular species delimitation methods.

The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that the genetic diversity of commercially significant species of King Crabs ( spp.) along the south-eastern Pacific (SEP) comprises different independent evolutionary units (IEUs) with spatially isolated distribution. Nine localities from inner and open waters along the SEP Chilean coast (39°S-55°S) were sampled.

Patterns of genome size variation in caridean shrimps: new estimates for non-gambarelloides species.

Genome size (GS) or DNA nuclear content is considered a useful index for making inferences about evolutionary models and life history in animals, including taxonomic, biogeographical, and ecological scenarios. However, patterns of GS variation and their causes in crustaceans are still poorly understood. This study aimed to describe the GS of five Neotropical non-gambarelloides shrimps (, and ) and compare the C-values of all Caridea infraorder in terms of geography and phylogenetics.

Southern Hemisphere coasts are biologically connected by frequent, long-distance rafting events.

Globally, species distributions are shifting in response to environmental change, and those that cannot disperse risk extinction. Many taxa, including marine species, are showing poleward range shifts as the climate warms. In the Southern Hemisphere, however, circumpolar oceanic fronts can present barriers to dispersal.

The Influence of Natural Barriers on the Amphidromous Shrimp (Caridea, Atyidae) from Two Rivers in Southeastern Brazil.

AbstractThe migratory behavior of freshwater shrimps may be affected by natural barriers in limnetic environments. This study evaluated the river areas separated by natural barriers, such as waterfalls, which affect the amphidromous shrimps' () population features and reproductive aspects. Results indicate that in the Félix and Prumirim Rivers from southeastern Brazil shrimps show few differences in sampling areas, and these differences may not be causally related to the waterfalls.

A new crab-associated amphipod of the genus Isaeopsis Barnard, 1916 (Amphipoda: Senticaudata: Ischyroceridae) from southern Chile.

A new species of amphipod of the family Ischyroceridae is described. Isaeopsis chiloensis n. sp.

Biodiversity of an Antarctic rocky subtidal community and its relationship with glacier meltdown processes.

Glacier meltdown is a major environmental response to climate change in the West Antarctic Peninsula. Yet, the consequences of this process for local biodiversity are still not well understood. Here, we analyse the diversity and structure of a species-rich marine subtidal macrobenthic community (consumers and primary producers) across two abiotic environmental gradients defined by the distance from a glacier (several km) and depth (between 5 and 20 m depth) in Fildes Bay, King George Island.

Temperature-dependent seminal recovery in the southern king crab .

Male-biased fishery management can provoke depletion of seminal reserves, which is the primary cause of sperm limitation. Therefore, identifying factors which contribute to the vulnerability to depletion of seminal reserves is a priority. The present study aimed to determine the effect of temperature on the recovery rate of sperm and seminal reserves after their depletion in , an important fishery resource in southern Chile.

Fishery induces sperm depletion and reduction in male reproductive potential for crab species under male-biased harvest strategy.

Sperm depletion in males can occur when polygynous species are intensively exploited under a male-biased management strategy. In fisheries involving crabs species, the effects of this type of management on the reproductive potential is far from being understood. This study tests whether male-biased management of the principal Chilean crab fishery is able to affect the potential capacity of Metacarcinus edwardsii males to transfer sperm to females.

Field assessment of the predation risk-food availability trade-off in crab megalopae settlement.

Settlement is a key process for meroplanktonic organisms as it determines distribution of adult populations. Starvation and predation are two of the main mortality causes during this period; therefore, settlement tends to be optimized in microhabitats with high food availability and low predator density. Furthermore, brachyuran megalopae actively select favorable habitats for settlement, via chemical, visual and/or tactile cues.