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Additions and amendments to the classification of reproductive styles in fishes

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Synopsis

The guild concept is explained to represent peaks in the landscape of reproductive styles, which respond to the ‘altricial ⇄ precocial principle’ caused by the processes of heterochrony and saltation. Guilds represent evolutionary trends but not units. New evidence for a specialization within the mouthbrooding external bearers is reviewed, e.g. the unique specialization of juvenile feeding inside the female's buccal cavity. Ability to withstand extreme environments is revealed in some water-edge spawners and a new guild of nonguarding aerophils is distinguished. The walleye is placed into another guild and the significance of spawning inside of sponges discussed. Due to a better understanding of reproductive styles used by some external bearers, termed earlier as forehead, skin and possibly armpit and backpack brooders, a single guild of auxiliary brooders is named. The classification of internal bearers is revised into four redefined and renamed guilds — facultative internal bearers, obligate lecithotrophic livebearers, matrotrophous oophages and adephophages, and viviparous trophoderms.

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  1. Department of Zoology, University of Guelph, Guelph, Ontario, NIG 2W1, Canada

    Eugene K. Balon

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Balon, E.K. Additions and amendments to the classification of reproductive styles in fishes. Environ Biol Fish 6, 377–389 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00005769

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