The female is not always pregnant or is responsible for the breeding, sometimes it is the male who assume this important task. Do you know what species we are talking about?

Usually, when thinking about the responsibilities and roles of parents, mothers are in charge of giving birth and raising their little ones. However, there are species in which the male is the one who assumes this role. Here, we tell you some of the most interesting cases of the most committed parents in the animal world.

Leer en español: Los padres más comprometidos de la naturaleza

Seahorse: Perhaps this is the best-known case in the animal world in which the male becomes pregnant. Also known as Hippocampus, in the 35 species of Seahorses, the males get pregnant. According to National Geographic, the gestation time of this species can last between 14 to 28 days and up to 1500 horses can be born in each litter. However, not all of them survive because they will be attacked by predators, they will end up in fishing nets, or the conditions of their habitats will have been destroyed. A curious fact is that seahorses have a closed bag that is similar to the uterus.

It may interest you: These are the rarest creatures found that have baffled scientists

Emperor Penguin: If we talk about teamwork when it comes to exercising paternity, emperor penguins are the best example. According to Nat Geo, "the female lays a single egg that is initially incubated by the male, while she returns to the sea to feed herself; later the parents take turns feeding themselves at sea and taking care of their chicks in the colony".

Clownfish: This species became known worldwide thanks to the success of Disney: Finding Nemo. The perseverance of Marlin and Dory's memory problems are unforgettable for all of us who have seen the film. However, even more interesting is that the clownfish is one of the few animals that can transform itself from male to female. According to Nat Geo, "if a dominant female dies, the dominant male will take his place, and the larger juvenile will assume the role of dominant male." For scientists it is still not clear how this transformation occurs. However, according to Gerald Allen, the greatest authority when talking about the clown fish, the change from male to female "is an excellent adaptation strategy to ensure the perpetuation of the species." Literally, when a clownfish transforms IGNORE INTO a female, it assumes the role of mother.

Big mouth fish: The males of this species are responsible for hatching the eggs that contain their descendants. Surprisingly, the males incubate their young buccally. According to Nat Geo, this process is called paternal mouth incubation. Furthermore, in accordance to the portal Vista al Mar, the male collects the eggs in his mouth when they have been fertilized and keeps them in this cavity until the young are born and must take care of themselves. When the fish are born, the father has a low body weight because it has not been able to feed itself during the incubation of its offspring, highlights the same portal. The species is located on the reefs of the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans.

Also read: Which are the longest living animals in the world?

Giant water bugs: The scientific name of this species is Belostomatidae and is usually found in bodies of fresh water such as streams and ponds. This insect is located in Asia and America. According to the University of Florida, giant water bugs can reach 4 IN. For its reproduction, the eggs of this species are deposited in the back of the males by the females. According to the University of Florida, the young contained in the eggs will be born two weeks later.

Latin American Post | Marcela Peñaloza