Several male animals carry their offspring, but they do not all do it in the same way. In seahorses and some of their relatives, the male carries developing embryos and releases live young. In other species, males transport babies that have already been born. Some fathers carry eggs instead, which is a different form of parental care.
The clearest examples include seahorses, pipefish, seadragons, Southern Darwin’s frogs, several marmosets and tamarins, siamangs, midwife toads, giant water bugs, and many sea spiders.
Species in which males carry developing young
Seahorses
Male seahorses are the best-known example of male pregnancy. The female deposits her eggs into a specialized pouch on the male’s abdomen. The male fertilizes the eggs and carries the embryos while they develop. When the pregnancy is complete, he contracts the pouch and gives birth to live, miniature seahorses.
This behavior occurs in seahorses in the genus Hippocampus. The pouch is more than a container: it protects the embryos and helps provide suitable conditions for their development, including oxygen and fluid regulation. After birth, the young seahorses are largely independent.
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Pipefish
Pipefish are close relatives of seahorses, and paternal care varies considerably among species. In some, the eggs are enclosed in a brood pouch. In others, eggs are attached directly to a specialized area on the male’s underside. The male protects and supports the embryos until the young emerge as juveniles.
Examples come from genera including Syngnathus, Nerophis, and Entelurus. Because pipefish use different brood structures, “male pregnancy” is an accurate description for some species but less so for others.
Seadragons
Seadragon fathers also carry eggs, although they do not have the fully enclosed pouch seen in many seahorses. Female seadragons attach their eggs to specialized areas on the male’s tail. He carries them there while they develop.
Leafy seadragons and weedy seadragons belong to the genera Phycodurus and Phyllopteryx. Their unusual tail-based brooding system is one reason these fish are often included among animals in which males carry their young.
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Southern Darwin’s frog
In the Southern Darwin’s frog (Rhinoderma darwinii), the male collects fertilized eggs and carries the developing tadpoles inside his vocal sac. They remain there until they have developed into froglets, which the male releases.
This is not a pregnancy in the mammalian sense, but it is an exceptionally specialized form of male brooding. The vocal pouch functions as a protected nursery during a vulnerable stage of the froglets’ development.
Species in which males carry live babies after birth
Marmosets and tamarins
Male marmosets and tamarins commonly carry infants. This includes the common marmoset (Callithrix jacchus), pygmy marmoset (Cebuella pygmaea), and cotton-top tamarin (Saguinus oedipus).
The male may carry an infant on his back while the mother feeds, rests, or travels. In family groups, older offspring and other adults may also help transport the babies. This shared care is especially important because marmoset and tamarin mothers often give birth to twins, making infant carrying a substantial physical task.
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Siamangs
Male siamangs (Symphalangus syndactylus) have also been observed carrying young. The infant must first be old enough to cling securely, so male carrying is not necessarily seen immediately after birth. As the young animal becomes more mobile, the father can take a larger role in transporting it.
Male carrying is documented in several primate species, but it should not be assumed that every male in a whole primate family carries infants. The behavior can differ between closely related species and between social groups.
Species in which males carry eggs
Egg carrying is often confused with carrying young. The male is providing important paternal care, but the offspring have not hatched yet and cannot travel independently.
| Animal | What the male carries | How he carries it |
|---|---|---|
| Giant water bugs | Egg masses | Eggs are attached to the male’s back; he protects, aerates, and hydrates them. |
| Common midwife toad | Strings of eggs | The male winds the eggs around his hind legs and carries them until they are ready to hatch. |
| Many sea spiders | Egg masses | The male holds the eggs on specialized appendages during development. |
Giant water bugs
In several giant water bugs, particularly members of the subfamily Belostomatinae, the female attaches an egg mass to the male’s back. He carries the eggs, keeps them supplied with moisture, and moves or ventilates them in ways that help development. The eggs remain attached until they hatch.
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Common midwife toad
The male common midwife toad (Alytes obstetricans) winds strings of fertilized eggs around his hind legs. He carries them for days or weeks, keeping them moist and protecting them until they are ready to hatch. He then releases the eggs into water, where the tadpoles emerge.
Sea spiders
In many sea spider species, males carry egg masses on specialized appendages called ovigers. The male broods and protects the eggs while they develop. Since sea spiders are marine arthropods, their egg-carrying anatomy is very different from the brood pouches of seahorses and pipefish.
Animals often confused with male carriers
Male rheas are devoted fathers, but they generally do not carry their chicks. A male greater rhea incubates the eggs, guards the nest, and protects and raises the young after they hatch. That is substantial paternal care, but it is not the same as physically transporting the chicks.
There is also an unusual report of juvenile and subadult male white-faced capuchins carrying abducted howler monkey infants. This should not be used as an example of normal paternal carrying. The behavior appeared to involve infants taken from another species, and the babies generally died because the capuchins could not provide milk.
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Why do males carry offspring?
The advantage depends on the species. A brood pouch or egg-carrying structure can shield embryos from predators and environmental stress. It can also keep eggs oxygenated and prevent them from being washed away. In primates, carrying allows an infant to travel with the group while the mother feeds or performs other activities, and it may spread the cost of care across the family.
So the short answer is not simply “seahorses.” Male seahorses, pipefish, seadragons, and Southern Darwin’s frogs carry developing offspring; marmosets, tamarins, and siamangs carry live infants; and male giant water bugs, midwife toads, and many sea spiders carry eggs.
FAQ
Do male seahorses really get pregnant?
Yes. The female places eggs into the male’s brood pouch, where he fertilizes and carries the developing embryos. He later releases live young, so this is commonly called male pregnancy.
Which male animals carry babies after they are born?
Several primates do, including common and pygmy marmosets, cotton-top tamarins, and siamangs. Males may carry infants on their backs or bodies, sometimes sharing the job with the mother and other group members.
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The male Southern Darwin’s frog carries developing tadpoles in his vocal pouch until they become froglets. The common midwife toad also carries offspring, but it carries fertilized eggs wrapped around its hind legs rather than hatched young.
Do male rheas carry their chicks?
Usually no. Male rheas incubate eggs and protect and raise the chicks, but they are not normally described as transporting the chicks on their bodies.
The Bottom Line
Male seahorses, many pipefish, seadragons, and Southern Darwin’s frogs carry developing offspring. Male marmosets, tamarins, and siamangs carry live infants after birth. Male giant water bugs, midwife toads, and many sea spiders carry eggs. These examples all involve male parental care, but only some involve transporting hatched young.
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