If the male seahorse gives birth, what defines him as male?

Answer 1

because the female lays the eggs in a pouch on his stomach and the "gives birth" to the live babies after they hatch

Answer 2

The female seahorse deposit her eggs inside the males pouch. There the eggs a fertilized and grow. When the time is right the fry seahorse are expelled out the pouch. So, the male seahorse is male with two duties, fertilize the egg and hatch them. So he still provides the sperm, there he is still a male.

Seahorse biology
http://www.sheddaquarium.org/sea/seahorse/seahorse_biology.html

Answer 3

It is the production of sperm or eggs that defines an individual as 'male' or 'female' respectively.

The male seahorse produces sperm, just like the males of other species. The female's eggs are fertilised as normal.

The male takes the eggs inside a pouch in his belly, where they hatch and grow into little seahorses, before being 'born'

Individuals of hermaphrodite species (such as earthworms) are all both male and female because they all produce both sperm and eggs.

Answer 4

Well if you're a seahorse, I guess what defines you as a male is that you can give birth.

Not seahorse wise though, I'm guessing the male would still be the protector/provider for the baby seahorses...

Answer 5

The male produces the sperm, and the female produces the ova (eggs).
The male seahorse incubates the fertilized ova and they develop in his pouch until they hatch.
It isn't really accurate to say he gives birth; it's just a cute way of describing it.

Answer 6

No longer certain why, however here's a hyperlink that could support. The female deposits the eggs into the male which is how he fertilizes the eggs is the first-class explanation I observed. Excellent good fortune.

Answer 7

not sure why, yet right this is a link that could help. the female deposits the eggs into the male that's how he fertilizes the eggs is the main suitable rationalization i got here across. stable success.

Answer 8

The fact that he has "sperm" and sprays it on eggs.

His hold on the eggs is much like a built in hug (flap of skin). There is no birth to speak of, the young just wriggle out of the "hug"

Answer 9

because the seashorses fertilise their eggs externally, with the male providing the sperm. however the same male then (and im not sure how) takes in these fertilised eggs and gives birth to them, but he is male as he provides the sperm, that is what defines him as such

Answer 10

he does not in the accepted sense `give birth` the female lays her eggs which he fertalises and carrys in a pouch till they hatch.