Spawn (biology)

Spawn is the eggs and sperm released or deposited into water by aquatic animals. As a verb, to spawn refers to the process of releasing the eggs and sperm, and the act of both sexes is called spawning. Most aquatic animals, except for aquatic mammals and reptiles, reproduce through the process of spawning.Baby paradise fish just hatched, gathered under the surface of a bubble nestAnemone fish nest in an anemone. Here a male is protecting spawn produced by his partner.Siamese fighting fish build bubble nests of varying sizes.A pair of Siamese fighting fish spawning under their bubble nest.One-day-old Siamese fighting fish larvae in a bubble nest - their yolk sacs have not yet been absorbedA 15-day-old free-swimming fry of a Siamese fighting fishRichard Cowen:117–8Spawning brittle starHead of female krill with her brood sacSpawning sockeye salmonDead salmon after spawningThese lagoons, connected to the River Tees, provide a quiet backwater for fish to spawn and to take refuge in times of high water levelsIn the middle of this weir is a fish ladder, which allows trout and salmon to pass the weir to go upriver to spawn. Spawn is the eggs and sperm released or deposited into water by aquatic animals. As a verb, to spawn refers to the process of releasing the eggs and sperm, and the act of both sexes is called spawning. Most aquatic animals, except for aquatic mammals and reptiles, reproduce through the process of spawning. Spawn consists of the reproductive cells (gametes) of many aquatic animals, some of which will become fertilized and produce offspring. The process of spawning typically involves females releasing ova (unfertilized eggs) into the water, often in large quantities, while males simultaneously or sequentially release spermatozoa (milt) to fertilize the eggs. Most fish reproduce by spawning, as do most other aquatic animals, including crustaceans such as crabs and shrimps, molluscs such as oysters and squid, echinoderms such as sea urchins and sea cucumbers, amphibians such as frogs and newts, aquatic insects such as mayflies and mosquitoes and corals, which are actually small aquatic animals—not plants. Fungi, such as mushrooms, are also said to 'spawn' a white, fibrous matter that forms the matrix from which they grow.