Filial cannibalism

Filial cannibalism occurs when an adult individual of a species consumes all or part of the young of its own species or immediate offspring. Filial cannibalism occurs in many species ranging from mammals to insects, and is especially prevalent in various types of fish species with males that engage in egg guardianship. The exact purpose of the practice in those species is uncertain, but zoologists have proposed several explanations based on evolutionary and ecological principles.

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