Carrying the young A pregnant male seahorse foraging for food at the bottom of an aquarium. (more) Do Male Seahorses Give Birth? Ask the Chatbot a Question More Actions Share Share Share to social media Facebook X URL https://www.britannica.com/science/Do-Male-Seahorses-Give-Birth Feedback Corrections? Updates? Omissions? Let us know if you have suggestions to improve this article (requires login). Feedback Type Select a type (Required) Factual Correction Spelling/Grammar Correction Link Correction Additional Information Other Your Feedback Submit Feedback Thank you for your feedback Our editors will review what you’ve submitted and determine whether to revise the article.
External Websites Ask the Chatbot a Question Written and fact-checked by The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree. They write new content and verify and edit content received from contributors. The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica Last Updated: Mar 14, 2025 • Article History Table of Contents Table of Contents Ask the Chatbot In the world of seahorses it is the males who carry their developing young. After an elaborate courtship dance the female uses her ovipositor to deposit eggs into a special brood pouch located at the base of the male’s tail. This pouch is where the eggs are fertilized. The fertilized eggs remain in the brood pouch for a period of 10 days to six weeks (depending on the species). During this time the male regulates the chemistry of the fluid inside the pouch, gradually transforming it from his internal body fluids to salt water as the pregnancy progresses. When the ...(100 of 123 words)
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