What does it mean to be a father? Is father a biological description that tells people what you did,

or is father a job title that tells people what you do? Is fatherhood a genetic relationship you have,

or a personal relationship you have to maintain? Is it really just about biology?

Or is it about the story of your interactions with another being?

If it is the latter more so than the former,

if it is about the role you play rather than the DNA,

then what's the difference between a father and a mother?

Today we're going to talk a bit about fatherhood through the lens of a male mother,

or perhaps a father with a rather unique take on the role.

The seahorse.

Specifically, the lined seahorse.

Hippocampus erectus. I'm Mackin. This is Species.

Hey, welcome to the show. Today I'm going to teach you all about the lined seahorse, also known as the northern seahorse or the spotted seahorse or the horsefish.

If I say seahors is plural spotted seahorse or the horsefish.

If I say seahorses, plural, you can assume I'm making a generalization about the 40-something species of seahorses out there. Today we'll start with some awesome seahorse info. The fun facts will

get progressively weirder as we go, so stay tuned. And then we are going to finally dive into the

science of how male seahorses get

pregnant and fatherhood itself. Find my Twitter at Mac and Murphy or the show on Twitter and on Facebook,

both at Species Podcast. While you're at it, leave a five-star review on iTunes or Facebook. We read

them loud at the end of the show.

Thank you, Eric and the Animals for playing me in, and now, without further ado, I present to you

the lined seahorse. Seahorses are fish, but their head, snouted and angled downward, makes them look like a horse.

...