Male pregnancy: The dark side - by Nature Video

Male pregnancy is very rare, occurring only in seahorses, pipefish and seadragons. The female deposits her eggs in the male's brood pouch, and the male protects and feeds the developing offspring. Are these the best dads in the animal kingdom? It seems not - new research shows that male pipefish selectively abort embryos from less attractive females, saving their resources for future, more attractive, mates. The finding reveals a dark side to male pregnancy, but it also adds to Darwin's theory of sexual selection. Read the original research here: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/nature08861

Category:

Science & Technology

Tags:

• pipefish
• seahorses
• Gulf pipefish
• male pregnancy
• brood pouch
• sexual selection
• Darwin
• post-mating
• Nature
• Nature Video
• NPG
• sex-reversed

[Anie716]

@ariseb Its the melody played when Bella finds the enchanted rose in the beauty and the beast

[happinesson]

There is always an exemption to the rule!

[agapitoflores001]

It can happen to transgenders, can't it? How ever biological males will really be incapable of conceiving no matter what happens.

[gadionson1]

male pregnancy never happen to male people, only seahorses..video has proved.

[vegeteriancannibal]

@regemo Thank you so much, English is not my first language so I was struggling for the right phrase to Google. ''Origin of gender'', so obvious. I feel stupid right now, hehe!!

[regemo]

Respond to this video... But the most convincing theory for the origin of gender is that in fungi it might have developed so that fungi didn't fertilize their own self. Having a gender type allowed fungi to fertilize with other gender typed fungi and mix genes. Type "lotus artificial life origin of gender" in google for a website with a lot more theories.

Of course in animals with more complex brains gender does not necessarily determine sexuality. They are not equivalent.

[regemo]

@vegeteriancannibal I remember an argument that gender might have arisen from the necessity for some species to carry the undeveloped young until they are born, as opposed to just laying eggs. Carrying the young around meant the animal was less proficient at hunting for food and less able to defend itself from predators. Having a mate that does not become pregnant increased their survival and were better able to pass on their genes. Leading to more gender specific members of that species.

[vegeteriancannibal]

@regemo Hi there!! I am writing to you because you seem knowledgeable about this study. Forgive me for bothering you but I've been trying to search for a study that tells WHY nature sought it so that in majority of species, there is a sexuality separation. What was it that led to the requirement of males and females rather than a single sex? Would you know where i should look for it? (on the internet only please). Thank you so much for ANY help!!

[ariseb]

Can someone tell me if the music is Tchaikovsky? If not who and what concerto...

[regemo]

The title is kind of misleading. This phenomenon happens with a lot of female pregnancies in the animal kingdom as well. For example birds will eat the eggs they lay if there is a lack of food.