noun
- Fish, especially cichlids, that incubate and protect their eggs and young in their mouths.
Usage: plural form; zoology; also called mouth brooders
Examples
- Mouthbreeders are fascinating fish that keep their eggs safe inside their mouths.
- Many African cichlids are mouthbreeders that exhibit complex parental care behaviors.
- The aquarium featured several species of mouthbreeders from Lake Tanganyika.
- Mouthbreeders release their young only when they are large enough to fend for themselves.
- Scientists study mouthbreeders to understand how fish protect their offspring.