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Glite Dictionary
mouthbreeder

mouthbreeder

9.9
A fish that keeps eggs and baby fish in its mouth until they can live alone
  • noun
  • /ˈmaʊθˌbriːdər/
  • Specialized
: boca criadora
  • The cichlid is a well-known mouthbreeder that protects its young by carrying them in its mouth.

Examples

  • During spawning, the female mouthbreeder collects her eggs in her mouth for safekeeping.

  • Many aquarists are fascinated by the unique parenting behavior of mouthbreeders.

  • The mouthbreeder protects its young from predators.

  • Many mouthbreeders are known for their unique parenting behavior.

  • During spawning, the female mouthbreeder collects her eggs in her mouth for safekeeping.

  • The cichlid is a popular type of mouthbreeder that protects its young until they are ready to swim on their own.

  • Many aquarists love to observe the caring nature of mouthbreeders as they carry their young in their mouths.

Surface Forms

mouthbreeder singular
mouthbreeders plural

Morphology

mouthbreeder = mouth + breeder (transparent) = mouth + breed + er

Meaning is directly derived from 'mouth' + 'breeder' (an organism that breeds/raises young in its mouth); 'breeder' is a regular agent noun from 'breed'.

Etymology

The word mouthbreeder is made from mouth and breeder, literally meaning 'one who breeds in the mouth'. So a mouthbreeder is a fish that keeps its eggs and young in its mouth to protect them until they can survive on their own.