How do male pipefish carry eggs on their trunks?

Male pipefish carry eggs on their trunks like a mom carries her baby in a backpack.

Imagine you have a little brother or sister who needs to travel with you to school. You might put them in your backpack so they can ride with you. That’s kind of what male pipefish do, but instead of a backpack, they use their trunks, which are like special body parts on their bellies.

When the female pipefish is ready to have babies, she puts her eggs into the male’s trunk. It's like putting a bunch of tiny toys inside your backpack before you go on a trip. The male then carries those eggs until they’re ready to come out as baby pipefish.

The trunk has little pockets and folds that keep the eggs safe and snug, just like how your backpack keeps your books from falling out when you run in the hallway. Sometimes the eggs even get a little bumpy or wiggly, but the male doesn’t mind because he’s doing his very best to help them grow!