Male sea horses are like female humans: study
Xinhua, September 2, 2015 Adjust font size:
Sea horses are famed for being part of the only family in the animal kingdom (Syngnathidae) in which the male is responsible for pregnancy.
What hasn't been known until now is the degree to which male sea horses nourish and protect their embryos in their brood pouch during the 24-day gestation period, Sydney University researchers have found.
Male sea horses have as much of a role nurturing embryos during pregnancy as female mammals. Previously their role, other than as pouch provider, was largely a mystery.
"Surprisingly, sea horse dads do a lot of things human mums do, " said Dr Camilla Whittington.
"Sea horse babies get a lot of nutrients via the egg yolk provided by their mothers but the pouch of the fathers has also evolved to meet the complex challenges of providing additional nutrients and immunological protection, and ensuring gas exchange and waste removal. "
Whittington and colleagues found male sea horses are able to deliver nutrients to their developing embryos, particularly energy- rich lipids, and calcium to allow them to build their tiny skeletons.
It is likely these nutrients are secreted in the brood pouch and then absorbed by embryos. Endi