Oviparity (in CC amphib glossary)

[MRIGUY]

Reproduction by laying eggs which develop indipendent of the mother

 

[Jan]

Reproduction by laying eggs which develop indipendent of the mother

Some oviparous animals inclulding some snakes are dependent on the mother to brood the eggs to maintain warmth or humidity or both. How about:

Oviparous - reproduction through laying eggs that develop and hatch outside of the mother's body. Embryos are nourished by the egg yolk.

Ovoviviparous - reproduction through eggs that develop within the mother and young are born live or immediately after the eggs are deposited. Embryos are nourished by the egg yolk.

Viviparous - reproduction through giving birth to live young. Embryos are nourished by the mother generally through placental transfer.

 

[Jan]

With examples of the types of animals added:

Oviparous - reproduction through laying eggs that develop and hatch outside of the mother's body. Embryos are nourished by the egg yolk. Most [anurans] and [caudates] are oviparous.

Ovoviviparous - reproduction through eggs that develop within the mother and young are born live or immediately after the eggs are deposited. Embryos are nourished by the egg yolk. Examples would include certain reptiles and insects as well as some fish.

Viviparous - reproduction through giving birth to live young. Embryos are nourished by the mother. Examples of vivaparous animals would include most [caecilians] and mammals.

 

[Jennewt]

Awesome definitions, Jan!

How do we classify the salamanders that deposit fully formed larvae/morphs instead of eggs? Are they ovoviviparous?

 

[Jan]

Awesome definitions, Jan!

How do we classify the salamanders that deposit fully formed larvae/morphs instead of eggs? Are they ovoviviparous?

Jen
There is another more obscure category called larviparous. These animals may well fit here. Do you have specific specie(s) in mind? (that may be beneficial in finding an answer). The term larviparous is most often associated with insects and mollusks.

 

[Kaysie]

I think Jen had something in mind like Plethodontids that hatch out as mini-adults instead of gilled larvae.

 

[Jennewt]

The Plethodontids (that I know of) hatch as mini-adults from eggs, so I assume they would be the standard oviparous. I was thinking of Salamandra, where the female deposits larvae (or even metamorphs), not eggs. Are there any other sals that do this, besides Salamandra?

 

[Jan]

The Plethodontids (that I know of) hatch as mini-adults from eggs, so I assume they would be the standard oviparous. I was thinking of Salamandra, where the female deposits larvae (or even metamorphs), not eggs. Are there any other sals that do this, besides Salamandra?

Hi Jen
Salamandra are classified as ovoviviparous as the embyos are nourished via egg yolk. Shall we include these in the definition to read:

Ovoviviparous - reproduction through eggs that develop within the mother and young are born live or immediately after the eggs are deposited. Embryos are nourished by the egg yolk. Examples would include certain salamanders (e.g., Salamandra) some reptiles and insects as well as some fish.

 

[Jennewt]

Super. I'm moving this to "finished".