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How do male sticklebacks care for eggs after fertilization?
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gasterosteiform
Lined seahorse (Hippocampus erectus).
After the male stickleback fertilizes the eggs within the nest he has constructed, he assumes the role of guard and caretaker. To ensure the development of the offspring, he aerates the eggs by fanning them with his pectoral fins. Additionally, he aggressively defends both the eggs and the young from any potential intruders. This parental care is provided by the males in all stickleback species except for the white stickleback (Gasterosteus species).1