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Different patterns of variation in oxygen availability throughout development have been observed in embryo masses of brooding species of marine invertebrates, and this variation seems to be related to the strategy to solve the oxygen limitation problem of the broods. As yet, little is known about patterns of oxygen availability and female brooding behavior (abdominal flapping) throughout development in brachyuran crabs, and about which factors trigger abdominal flapping. These issues were experimentally studied in 2 crab species of similar body size (Cancer setosus and Homalaspis plana). In addition, oxygen consumption of crab embryos and 2 potential factors that could trigger changes in female brooding behavior were studied (oxygen partial pressure and non-identified chemical cues produced by the embryos). Optic fibers were used to monitor oxygen partial pressure (pO 2) in the embryo mass as female …