COLLEGE STATION, Texas, March 17 (UPI) -- A U.S. study shows male pipefish, which can become pregnant and give birth, care for their offspring in a way consistent with their affection for the mother.
Texas A&M University researchers said the male pipefish can demonstrate total love or even total neglect to its young, and the difference is determined by the male's attitude toward the mother. Males especially fond of their female mates are more likely to show a nurturing attitude, the scientists said.
Male pipefish and the seahorse are the only males in nature that actually become pregnant and give birth, said researcher Kim Paczolt who, along with Assistant Professor Adam Jones, conducted the study. Although the male pipefish can be a nurturing father as it tends its young before giving birth, Paczolt said it later might not choose to make the effort.
"Why this occurs, we don't fully understand, but our findings are quite specific about this relationship between the male pipefish and its mate," Paczolt said. "If the male prefers the female, he treats their mutual offspring better."
She said the findings demonstrate the phenomenon of male pregnancy is full of conflict and far more complex than had been thought.
The study, funded by the National Science Foundation, appears in the journal Nature.
