Additions and amendments to the classification of reproductive styles in fishes

Synopsis The guild concept is explained to represent peaks in the landscape of reproductive styles, which respond to the altricial precocial principle caused by the processes of heterochrony and saltation. Guilds represent evolutionary trends but not units. New evidence for a specialization within the mouthbrooding external bearers is reviewed, e.g. the unique specialization of juvenile feeding inside the female's buccal cavity. Ability to withstand extreme environments is revealed in some water-edge spawners and a new guild of nonguarding aerophils is distinguished. The walleye is placed into another guild and the significance of spawning inside of sponges discussed. Due to a better understanding of reproductive styles used by some external bearers, termed earlier as forehead, skin and possibly armpit and backpack brooders, a single guild of auxiliary brooders is named. The classification of internal bearers is revised into four redefined and renamed guilds — facultative internal bearers, obligate lecithotrophic livebearers, matrotrophous oophages and adephophages, and viviparous trophoderms.