Surviving on Limited Resources: Effects of Caloric Restriction on Growth, Gene Expression and Gut Microbiota in a Species With Male Pregnancy (Hippocampus erectus).

ABSTRACT: Caloric restriction (CR) studies have traditionally focused on species with conventional reproductive roles, emphasising female's greater investment in costly gametes and parental care. While the divergent impact of CR on males and females is evident across species, the factors driving this variation, that is, resource allocation to reproductive elements as part of distinct life history strategies, remain unclear. To address this, we investigated the effects of CR on development, gene expression and intestinal microbiota in the lined seahorse Hippocampus erectus, a species with male pregnancy, where fathers invest in offspring through gestation. Juvenile seahorses were subjected to ad libitum (AL) or CR feeding for 5 months. CR stunted male growth and brood pouch development, reflecting th

SUBMITTER: Pappert FA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12010458 | biostudies-literature | 2025 May

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature