ovoviviparous
/,ouvouvi'vipərəs/
Definition
- Adjective:
- Producing living young from eggs that hatch within the mother's body: Describes a reproductive method in which embryos develop inside eggs that are retained within the mother's body until they hatch. The young are then born alive. This is distinct from viviparous (live birth with placental connection) and oviparous (laying eggs externally).
Usage and Examples
- General Usage:
- Many species of sharks are ovoviviparous.
- The ovoviviparous lizard retains the eggs internally until they are ready to hatch.
Advanced Usage and Notes
- Scientific Context: The term is primarily used in zoology and biology to classify and describe specific reproductive strategies. It is a compound of "ovo-" (egg), "vivi-" (live), and "-parous" (bearing).
- Distinction from Similar Terms:
- Oviparous: Animals that lay eggs with little or no embryonic development inside the mother (e.g., birds, most reptiles).
- Viviparous: Animals that give birth to live young that have developed inside the mother's body with a placental connection (e.g., most mammals).
Variants and Related Words
- Ovoviviparity (noun): The condition of being ovoviviparous.
- The ovoviviparity of certain fish species is an adaptation to their environment.
Synonyms
- None precise: There are no direct common-language synonyms. In technical contexts, it may be described as "egg-live-bearing" or contrasted with the terms oviparous and viviparous.
Adjective
-
producing living young from eggs that hatch within the body
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