Sexual Reproduction

mandarin fish mating

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Today we finished our unit on Reproduction by looking at the variety of strategies that vertebrates use to produce offspring. From broadcast spawning (in most fish) where eggs and sperm are released into the aquatic environment, to the production of amniotic eggs in birds and the vivaporous births of mammals, there are different degrees of resources put into reproduction. Different species of sharks show a variety of different strategies from external egg development (oviparous) to placental live birth (viviparous) to internal egg development with live birth (ovoviviparous) to interuterine cannibalism. Terrestrial organisms require internal fertilisation to protect the gametes from dessication and allow the embryo to form either protected by a shell or within the uterus or womb.

Try this student activity to compare asexual and sexual reproductive strategies. More about reproduction here. Check out the wiki for more activities and information.

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