Laiphognathus multimaculatus Spotty Blenny Birth | Japan

This is the moment when a male spotty goby (Laiphognathus multimaculatus) sent one of his babies into the world. Females of this species deposit eggs into the burrows of males, which fertilize and care for the developing young. When juveniles are mature, the males take the young fish into their mouths, dart out of their burrows and spit the babies into the water, sometimes one at a time, sometimes several at once. The action is rapid, the direction and timing of launching babies unpredictable. Such behavior is perhaps necessary to minimize predation. This male was about 4cm in length.

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Image Size: 7195x4797 / 98.9MB; https://www.photoshelter.com/support/license#rm; https://www.tony-wu.com/contact-tony-wu; Bony Fish Blenny Animalia Chordata Osteichthyes Actinopterygii Blenniformes Blenniidae Laiphognathus multimaculatus Madara-ginpo Many-spotted Blenny Spotty Blenny Reproduction Paternal Brooding Hatching Pacific Japan Kyushu Kumamoto Prefecture
Contained in galleries: Marine Life Reproduction, Fish Photos, Marine Life | Japan

This is the moment when a male spotty goby (Laiphognathus multimaculatus) sent one of his babies into the world. Females of this species deposit eggs into the burrows of males, which fertilize and care for the developing young. When juveniles are mature, the males take the young fish into their mouths, dart out of their burrows and spit the babies into the water, sometimes one at a time, sometimes several at once. The action is rapid, the direction and timing of launching babies unpredictable. Such behavior is perhaps necessary to minimize predation. This male was about 4cm in length.