Compared to other coastal habitats, estuaries are widely recognized to provide an important habitat for early stage crustacean development, such as recruitment, growth and survival. Thus, estuaries contribute to the reproductive population via the ontogenetic migration of mature crustaceans to other habitats. This study describes the spatial–temporal dynamics of the different ontogenetic stages of the Chilean marble crab (Metacarcinus edwardsii), the most harvested crab throughout Chile, in a northern Patagonian estuary. Crab traps were deployed monthly throughout the estuary and over a bathymetric gradient to evaluate the relative abundance of juveniles, pre-adults and adults. Crabs presented a clear segregated distribution dependent on ontogenetic stage, likely due to the migration of juveniles from the middle estuary to the outer section, which is associated with sexually mature individuals. Furthermore, a second bathymetric reproductive migration is identified for adults, characterized by a migration of mature individuals to deeper waters during winter and return to shallower waters during spring for mating. Understanding habitat use in exploited species, such as this marble crab, is crucial to effectively develop conservation and management strategies.

与其他沿海栖息地相比，河口被公认为为甲壳类动物早期发育（例如募集，生长和生存）提供重要栖息地。因此，河口通过成熟甲壳动物向其他栖息地的个体发育迁移，为繁殖种群做出了贡献。这项研究描述了智利大理石蟹（Metacarcinus edwardsii）不同个体发育阶段的时空动态。），这是智利北部巴塔哥尼亚河口收获最多的螃蟹。捕蟹器每月在整个河口部署，并以测深梯度分布，以评估少年，成年前和成年人的相对丰度。螃蟹呈现出明显的分离分布，取决于个体发育阶段，这可能是由于幼鱼从中河口向外部迁移，这与性成熟个体有关。此外，确定了成年人的第二次等深线生殖迁移，其特征是成熟个体在冬季迁移到较深水域，在春季交配回到较浅水域。了解诸如大理石蟹之类的被开发物种的栖息地使用，对于有效制定保护和管理策略至关重要。