Question

Sharks are
A. Ovoviviparous
B. Viviparous
C. Oviparous
D. None of the above

Answer 1

Hint: Sharks are characterized by a cartilaginous skeleton and belong to the elasmobranch group of fishes. Sharks have 5-7 gill slits on the side of the head and pectoral fins are not fused to the head. It is placed in the phylum Chordata and kingdom Animalia.

Complete answer:
Ovoviviparous are the egg laying animals which contain embryos inside the eggs that remain in the mother’s body until they are ready to hatch. The young embryos of some amphibians are born as larvae and undergo further metamorphosis outside the body of the mother. Some examples of ovoviviparous animals are sharks, lizards, platypus, etc.
Viviparous animals are those whose embryo develops inside the body of the parent which leads to the birth of the young one. It is the reproductive mode opposite to the oviparous in which the female lays eggs and then the egg completes its development and hatch externally from the mother. E.g. are animals, humans, etc.
Oviparous animals are the animals that lay eggs and the development of the embryo occurs inside the egg. In this type of reproductive mode the eggs hatch outside the female body and give birth to a young one. For e.g. birds, reptiles, etc.

Hence, the correct option is A. Ovoviviparous.

Note:
Sharks are K-selected, unlike most bony fishes which mean that sharks produce small numbers of well developed young as compared to large numbers of poorly developed young ones. Sharks mature slowly as compared to many other fishes.