Parental care in fishes By TANZEEBA AMIN

Parental care in fishes By TANZEEBA AMIN

• 1.
  PARENTAL CARE INFISHES By; TANZEEBA AMIN FISHERY SCIENCE &AQUACULTURE M.Sc. ZOOLOGY ALIGARH MUSLIM UNIVERSITY 1
• 2.
  Introduction  The term‘parental care’ in used to describe any behavior performed by parents that appears likely to improve the survival of the young ones.  In simple words, looking after the eggs or the youngones until they are independent, to defend them from enemies and predators.  This phenomenon is well developed in several groups of fishes.  It is actually very important for perpetuation of race.  Role of male and female in parental care was studied in five species of clown fishes in captive conditions (T.T. Ajith kumar et al,2012). 2
• 3.
  Patterns and diversityof parental care in fishes Four main categories:- 1. Fish species which build nest 2. Fish species which do not build nest 3. Viviparity in fishes 4. Care of young ones 3
• 4.
  Fish species whichbuild nest Circular nest  Male Amia calva construct a circular nest among aquatic plants.  One or more female attend the nest for laying the eggs. Then the male fertilizes and guard the eggs till hatching. Fig. Circular nest 4
• 5.
  Basin shaped nest Darter fish during spawning season chooses a proper place known as DOMAIN.  Any female darter can enter it and construct a basin like depression to release the eggs Fig. Basin like nest 5
• 6.
  Barrel shaped nest The male three-spined stickleback fish construct nest of dead aquatic plants by using sticky secretion from his kidneys.  Male drags a female to lay eggs then fertilizes them and takes care of them. Fig. Barrel shaped nest 6
• 7.
  Burrow or holenest  The male of African lung fish (Protopterus), digs oval pits or holes at the base of tall swamp grasses. Several females laid eggs in a single hole.  Floating nest:- The male of Gymnarchus builds a floating nest by using aquatic vegetation. Fig. Burrow or hole nest 7
• 8.
  Foamy nest  Themale fighting fish (Betta) builds the nest by producing small bubbles in his mouth.  The blowing bubbles with sticky mucous adheres together & form floating mass of dome shaped foam. Fig. Foamy nest 8
• 9.
  Fish species whichdo not build nest 1) Deposition of eggs at suitable places:-  Depositing eggs in masses of definite forms:- example- Perca flavescen (yellow perch)  Deposition of eggs in the cervices of the rocks:- example- Cyclopterus.  Deposition of eggs in dead shells of molluscs:- example- Gobies, bull head fish & Rhodeus. Fig. Deposited eggs on shell of molluscs 9
• 10.
  2) Deposition ofeggs in fish body • Mouth cavity as a shelter for eggs:- • e.g. female cichlids (Tilapia) . • Males of Arius & Loricaria. Fig. mouth brooding fish with eggs in mouth 10
• 11.
   Courtship behaviourand parental care was observed in laboratory conditions in Oreochromis mossambicus.  It was observed that after fertilization female kept all eggs in mouth showing mouth brooding (Sudha patel et al ,2016) . 11 Fig. mouth brooding fish with young in mouth
• 12.
  Attachment of eggswith bony hooks  The male of Australian Kurtus attaches the mass of eggs on a hook like projection on forehead until hatching.  Formation of integumentary cups:- e.g, Platystacus fig. male Australian Kurtus with bony hooks on forehead 12
• 13.
  Placement of eggsin brood pouches  In the sea horse and pipe fish male cares the eggs till hatching.  In sea horse females transfer eggs into brood pouch of male. Male keep them till hatching & also carries the young for sometimes.  The male pipe fish grows flaps of skin underside which form a pouch. 13 Male Hippocampus with brood pouch
• 14.
  Formation of mermaid’spurses  Sharks and rays forms mermaid’s purses which are secreted by the shell glands of oviduct. They vary in shapes but perform same function i.e. protection.  These are anchored to sea weeds by their long tendrils. Development occurs in them & young hatches out. Fig. mermaid’s purses of elasmobranchs 14
• 15.
  3)Viviparity in fishes Some fishes are viviparous such as Scoliodon, Cymatogaster etc. In them fertilization & development both are internal. 4) Care of young ones:- families such as Gasterosteidae, Ictaluridae & Centrarchidae does not stop with the caring of eggs but also defend their young ones. 15 Fig. Cymatogaster giving birth to young
• 16.
  Merits & demeritsof parental care in fishes  Merits of parental care :- • Improves survival of young ones • Improves development of young ones  Demerits of parental care:- • Decreased parental survival • Increased time until the next breeding attempt • Reduced future fecundity 16
• 17.
  Conclusion  Parental careis an inborn instinctive behavior shown by different species of fish. A number of fishes provide parental care to their eggs and young, provide protection for their survival against struggle for existence.  Many fish species do not care for their eggs, but lay their eggs in sufficiently safer places in large number e.g. – some carps.  Great diversity of parental care is found in fishes. Formation of basin shaped simple nest to viviparity and few take care of hatchlings.
• 18.
  References • Ichthyology handbookby B G Kapoor and Bhavna khanna • Biology of fishes by Quentin Bone and Richard H. Moore • The biology of fishes by M. Harry Kyle • fundamentals of Ichthiology by S P Biswas • www.slideshare.net/BhavyaVashisht/parental-care-in-fishes • www.yourarticlelililibraryy.com/fish/anatomy- and.../9...parental-care...fishes/88416/ • rspb.royalsocietypublishing.org • T.T Ajith kumar et al 2012, determining the level of parental care in 5 species of amphiron,Indian journal of geo marine science,vol41(5),430-441. • Susha patel and Dr Mangala nayak 2016,courtship and parental care in oreochromis in lab conditions,IJIRAS ,vol 3 issue 10,230-234. 18
• 19.
  THANK YOU…. 19