viviparity
thumb|An aphid giving viviparous birth, an unusual mode of reproduction among insects In animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the mother, with the maternal circulation providing for the metabolic needs of the embryo's development, until the mother gives birth to a fully or partially developed juvenile that is at least metabolically independent. This is opposed to oviparity, where the embryos develop independently outside the mother in eggs until they are developed enough to break out as hatchlings; and ovoviviparity, where the embryos are developed in eggs th
AI overview
Viviparity is a reproductive strategy where embryos develop inside the mother's body, with the mother's circulation supplying the nutrients and oxygen the embryo needs to grow until birth. This matters because it's fundamentally different from egg-laying reproduction and allows mothers to protect and nurture their developing offspring internally, which is found in mammals, some reptiles, and certain other animals like some insects.
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Research
2,116 papersvia PubMed
Article
6 sectionsContents
- Etymology
- Reproductive mode
- Evolution
- Reversion of viviparity
- See also
- References
thumb|An aphid giving viviparous birth, an unusual mode of reproduction among insects In animals, viviparity is the development of the embryo inside the body of the mother, with the maternal circulation providing for the metabolic needs of the embryo's development, until the mother gives birth to a fully or partially developed juvenile that is at least metabolically independent. This is opposed to oviparity, where the embryos develop independently outside the mother in eggs until they are developed enough to break out as hatchlings; and ovoviviparity, where the embryos are developed in eggs that remain carried inside the mother's body until the hatchlings emerge from the mother as juveniles, similar to a live birth.
== Etymology == The term "viviparity" and its adjective form "viviparous" both derive from the Latin , meaning "living"; and , meaning "give birth to".