Microphis deocata
In most species, the male is usually more elaborate while the female is more drab and picky about her mate. This is often because the females are the ones that put more energy into offspring both by producing the egg and in parental care. Microphis deocata are the opposite. The female is more elaborate while the male is more drab and picky about his mate. This could suggest that the male provides more parental care to the young than the female. Pipefish biology supports this hypothesis because the males have a brood pouch. After the male fertilizes the eggs, the female deposits them into the male's pouch where they remain until they hatch about 15 days later.
Sound familiar? Seahorses are very similar with the male carrying the eggs in a pouch, a trait that possibly evolved in a common ancestor since both seahorses and Microphis deocata are part of the Syngnathidae family. However, unlike in pipefish where the eggs are fertilized in the female, in seahorses, the eggs are transferred to the male's pouch prior to the eggs being fertilized. The gestation time also varies from 2 to 4 weeks depending on the species. Seahorses mate for life and every morning they meet to reinforce their bond by changing color and circling each other or spirling around other objects. Unlike pipefish, there is no distinctive elaborate difference between the sexes other than the male having a brood pouch that results in a slight shape difference between the sexes.
Image credit: https://d.facebook.com/fishplore/photos/a.627558133993524/849065638509438/?type=3&__tn__=C-R
Resources:
https://praquatics.com/forums/threads/rainbow-belly-pipefish-microphis-deocata.4136/
https://www.theseahorsetrust.org/seahorse-facts/#:~:text=Courtship,often%20spiral%20around%20an%20object.
https://seahorsesavvy.com/blogs/news/how-to-sex-a-seahorses
Maddy,
ReplyDeleteI had a hard time with this blog post because I didn't understand why the females showed those kinds of characteristics, after reading your post now I understand why this happens and conclusions started rushing my head, you did a good job comparing them to seahorses, I really liked reading your blog great job!
Hi Maddy!
ReplyDeleteI think you have written a great blog post about how males are the ones showing more parental care towards their young and because of that, they are the less colorful ones. When I first read this blog post prompt, I immediately thought of seahorses as well. I didn't do much research to see how pipefish and seahorses are similar so it was interesting to read about it in your blog.
Hi Maddy,
ReplyDeleteI like your explanation of how you compared the connection of pipefish in comparison with seahorses which also show the same mannerism. What I found the most interesting was Your correlations also allowed for more understanding into the differences between sexes. Keep up the good work!