9420268 Specker Mammals lactate and birds produce crop sac milk to feed their young. Fishes are known to guard their young in a nest or to brood them in their mouth. Dr. Specker's finding of vitellogenin, the precursor for yolk proteins, in the surface mucus of mouthbrooding cichlids suggests that some fish may be supplying the young with nutritionally important molecules in addition to protecting them from predators. She is examining aspects of reproduction in two species of cichlids that exhibit parental care. The species differ in that one is a maternal mouthbrooder and the other is a paternal mouthbrooder. The oral cavity of these fish contains paired pharyngeal glands. She proposes to examine the biochemistry of secretions from the glands. If it is found that the pharyngeal glands in mouthbrooding tilapia are secreting highly nutritive vitellogenins for ingestion by the offspring, then a major step toward changing the conventional wisdom about the evolutionary significance of parental care in this class of vertebrates may occur. Such biochemical and physiological contributions would provoke additional debate about the evolution and endocrinology of larval-parental relationships. ***
