Question

Could the number of eggs or young ones produced by an oviparous and viviparous mother be equal? Why?

Answer 1

Hint: Oviparous animals are the egg laying animals. They cannot produce their offspring directly; instead they usually lay eggs.

Complete Answer:
Viviparous animals: Viviparous animals are those animals in which both the fertilization (i.e. the fusion of male and female gametes) of egg that results in zygote and development of embryo take place inside the body of the female in the mother's womb.
- These animals give birth to young ones directly.
 Examples – mammals such as cows, goats, dogs, humans, etc.

Oviparous animals: Oviparous animals are those animals in which both the process of development of embryos take place outside the body of the female.
- In oviparous animals fertilization can occur inside the mother’s body or outside the mother’s body.
- Oviparous animals lay eggs outside their body. Example – birds, hen, frogs, etc.

Number of eggs or young ones produced by the oviparous and viviparous can be equal or not:
- No, the number of eggs or young ones produced by an oviparous and viviparous mother cannot be equal.
- The number of eggs laid by the oviparous animals are always more in number than the young ones produced by viviparous animals.
- This is because the events of fertilization or development of embryos takes place outside the mother’s body so there are more chances that the eggs will get damaged prior to fertilization or development. So, to ensure the complete development of at least one embryo, oviparous animals lay more numbers of eggs than viviparous animals.
- On the other hand in viviparous animals fertilization and development of embryos both occur inside the body of the female so there are 100% of its development.

Note: The eggs laid by the oviparous animals contain the pre mature embryo and yolk. The yolk provides nutrition to the growing embryo. The embryo will develop into a young individual.