Behavior
M
~700 species
Mouthbrooding
Quick Definition
A reproductive strategy in which one parent (usually the male) incubates eggs and/or larvae in its mouth for protection.
📖 Full Definition
Mouthbrooding is a form of parental care in which eggs, or eggs and larvae, are carried and protected inside the buccal cavity (mouth) of a parent. During brooding, the parent does not feed. Mouthbrooding has evolved independently in numerous lineages including cichlids, catfishes, cardinalfishes, and jawfishes. In most cichlid species the female broods; in cardinalfishes and some cichlids the male broods. Mouthbrooded young are often more advanced at release (larger, more mobile) than broadcast-spawned larvae.
💡 Examples & Context
In the Nile tilapia (Oreochromis niloticus), the female collects fertilised eggs and broods them in her mouth for approximately 2 weeks. She does not eat during this period.
⭐ Best Known Example
Classic example
Nile Tilapia