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Ovoviviparous Animals Facts & Worksheets

Ovoviviparous animals do not give birth to their young but instead lay eggs. Ovovivipary or ovoviviparous is a "bridging" mode of reproduction between oviparous (egg-laying) and viviparous (live-bearing) reproduction.

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Ovovivipary or ovoviviparous is a  “bridging” mode of reproduction between oviparous (egg-laying) and viviparous (live-bearing) reproduction. Ovoviviparous animals do not give birth to their young but instead lay eggs. The embryos of ovoviviparous animals develop inside eggs that stay in the mother’s body until they are ready to hatch.

See the fact file below for more information on Ovoviviparous, or you can download our 28-page Ovoviviparous worksheet pack to utilize within the classroom or home environment.

Key Facts & Information

DEFINITION

  • Ovoviviparous animals do not give birth to their young but instead lay eggs. The female incubates its eggs. After the egg has hatched, it remains inside the mother for some time, receiving internal nourishment without placental attachment. Live birth is the norm for oviparous species.
  • Sharks, rays, snakes, fishes, and insects are all examples of ovoviviparous animals. Unlike ovoviviparity, the eggs are not fertilized inside the mother before being placed. Instead, the yolk sac lays and feeds the eggs until they hatch.
  • Internal fertilization of eggs, as seen in ovoviviparity, usually occurs during copulation. For example, male sharks release sperm by inserting their claspers into females. Eggs are fertilized and receive the nutrients they need to continue developing in the oviducts from the egg yolk. 
  • The female guppy stores excess sperm for up to eight months, always to have enough to fertilize her eggs. The juveniles stay in the oviducts after the eggs hatch, where they continue to develop until they are old enough to be born and care for the adult population.
  • The umbilical cord, which ordinarily connects newborn animals to their mothers for sustenance and breathing, is absent in these animals. In some instances, the egg yolk is consumed to satisfy nutritional needs. When this yolk is used up, the mother supplements the infant’s diet with nutrients from the uterus, such as eggs that have not yet been fertilized.

PREGNANCY AND BIRTH

  • Ovoviviparous animals have an advantage because their offspring can feed and defend themselves immediately after birth. They can survive without their mother’s care and protection in the wild. For instance, rattlesnakes have fully developed venom glands that are as potent as adult rattlesnakes shortly after birth.
  • They are more fully formed when they first encounter the world than the young of oviparous species. They can grow to be bigger than their egg-laying counterparts. Even viviparous species face this problem. The young garter snake is born with their amniotic sacs still intact, but it immediately bursts free. 

OVIPAROUS, VIVIPAROUS, AND OVOVIVIPAROUS ANIMALS

  • Viviparous animals are those that can reproduce sexually. Fertilization and embryo development occur in viviparous species’ female reproductive system. Some examples of viviparous creatures include humans, canines, felines, elephants, and a few more species.
  • Oviparous organisms are those that reproduce by laying eggs. Oviparous animals perform fertilization inside but carry out embryo development outside. Chicken and duck eggs, for example, contain a developing embryo. Eggs have protective shells made of hard material. The embryo develops, and the egg hatches when it’s ready. 
  • Differences between oviparous, viviparous, and ovoviviparous animals include the following:

OVOVIVIPAROUS ANIMALS

  • Animals that produce live young from eggs are unusual hybrids. They have eggs like oviparous creatures, and their offspring hatch from them, yet they give birth like viviparous ones. 
  • Most frogs reproduce sexually, but a few don’t. A few frog species, primarily those found in Indonesia, are ovoviviparous. The tadpoles develop within the female rather than laid by her. If you catch the mother appropriately, you can see the tadpoles swimming around its uterus.
  • The larvae of some fly species, such as carrion flies, develop before the eggs are laid. This is especially prevalent in fly species, where the larvae require prompt immersion in a feeding source. The female fly hatches the eggs before applying them, so the larvae are always placed on the new food.
  • Sharks are unusual among animals since they include examples of all three reproduction types. Many sharks reproduce by laying eggs, including the tiger and sand tiger sharks. The reproductive mechanism of sand tiger sharks, commonly known as ragged tooth sharks, has been extensively investigated.
  • The eggs develop while still in the mother, but things quickly get violent. Typically, the first hatchling shark will consume the rest of the eggs or newly hatched sharks. So, while they may lay several eggs, often only one will develop into a full-grown adult.
  • Most ray species are ovoviviparous, but sharks have various reproductive modes. It’s highly unusual for such a big group to be dominated by ovoviviparity, which makes the vast diversity of ray species all the more remarkable. Skates are the only oviparous fish with a handful of genuine rays.
  • Guppies are among the most well-liked aquarium fish due to their small size and vibrant colors. They have a high reproductive rate. Thus, they are cheap to acquire and simple to breed.
  • Although guppies are ovoviviparous, like most ovoviviparous fish, they only produce a few young at a time, but occasionally they can have as many as 200 fry. A single male guppy can fertilize multiple broods of eggs since the female can store his sperm for months.
  • Ovoviviparity is the norm for snakes. Although rattlesnakes are well-known for delivering their young alive, this is not real viviparity; most reptiles do not birth their young this way. All of the eggs hatch at once while the mother is incubating them, and she then gives birth to the young.
  • The average brood size is 4-5 young, depending on the viper species. They usually all emerge at once after delivery, wrapped in what appears to be an amniotic sac that must be ruptured. It has been discovered that several species of rattlesnake keep their newborns in nests for weeks after they hatch and even work together to care for their young.
  • Only in seahorses do males take on the role of incubator and hatch the female’s eggs. After fertilization, the eggs are deposited into the male’s abdominal pouch, remaining until they hatch. It will be a while after the hatching before the baby seahorses emerge from their pouch.
  • Like other lizards, these chameleons reproduce by laying eggs. However, there exist ovoviviparous species. The average gestation time for these species is five to six months. The mother chameleon will drop her eggs onto a branch when the time is correct. Currently, the eggs are merely the sticky membrane of the yolk sac.

Ovoviviparous Animals Worksheets

This fantastic bundle includes everything you need to know about Ovoviviparous Animals across 28 in-depth pages. These ready-to-use worksheets are perfect for teaching kids about Ovoviviparous Animals. Ovoviviparous animals do not give birth to their young but instead lay eggs.

Complete List of Included Worksheets

Below is a list of all the worksheets included in this document.

  1. Ovoviviparous Facts
  2. The Mix of Both
  3. Word Jumble
  4. Compare the Three
  5. What Is It?
  6. Order the Sentence
  7. Which is Which?
  8. Hybrid
  9. Video Discussion
  10. The Combination
  11. The Little One

Frequently Asked Questions

What does it mean for an animal to be ovoviviparous?

Ovoviviparity is a reproductive strategy in which an animal’s eggs develop and hatch inside the female’s body, but the young receive no direct nourishment from the mother. Instead, the developing embryos obtain nutrients from the egg yolk.

Which animals exhibit ovoviviparity?

Various animals display ovoviviparity, including certain species of fish, reptiles, and invertebrates. Examples include some sharks, such as the great white shark, as well as certain snakes, insects, and arachnids.

How does ovoviviparity differ from viviparity?

Ovoviviparity and viviparity are similar in that both involve internal development of offspring. However, in viviparity, the developing embryos receive nourishment directly from the mother through a placenta or other specialized structures. In ovoviviparity, the young rely solely on the yolk sac or other internal sources of nourishment.

What are the advantages of ovoviviparity?

Ovoviviparity offers several advantages to the organisms that employ this reproductive strategy. It provides protection for developing embryos from external environmental factors and predators. Additionally, it allows for greater control over the offspring’s release, increasing their chances of survival in potentially hostile environments.

Are humans ovoviviparous?

No, humans are not ovoviviparous. Humans are viviparous, meaning the developing embryo receives nourishment directly from the mother through the placenta. The embryo is attached to the placenta via the umbilical cord, which facilitates the exchange of nutrients and waste products between the mother and the developing fetus.

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Use With Any Curriculum

These worksheets have been specifically designed for use with any international curriculum. You can use these worksheets as-is, or edit them using Google Slides to make them more specific to your own student ability levels and curriculum standards.

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