Animals, like all living beings, depend on reproduction to survive the species. Animals have different reproductive systems depending on the type of animal, as we will see there are many systems and it is convenient to study them one by one to know how animals reproduce.
We all know the basics, we know that dogs are born from the mother’s womb, that chickens lay eggs and that there are certain animals that reproduce by kicking, but there are things that most people don’t know, and the reason for this post is end this ignorance.
Today we are going to explain it here, we are going to see the types of fertilization, the types of reproduction, the types of fertilization, the types of gestation, the different types of growth of animals, the reproductive strategies and We are going to see the exceptions and rare cases in the animal kingdom in reproduction, so here is a brief summary or guide on how the members of the animal kingdom reproduce.
What do you need for animals to reproduce?
- Just like us being an animal lover.
- Have knowledge of some words such as oviparous or asexual and terms such as echinoderm, arthropod, mollusk…
Instructions for reproducing animals
- Types of reproduction: The normal thing in animals is sexual reproduction, that is, the new animal is born at the hands of a relationship between the male and the female, but there is another type of reproduction called asexual in which the animal is capable of make copies of itself without needing another of the same species. It is usually characteristic of some invertebrates such as starfish whose arm is broken and another identical individual is born from that arm.
- Types of gestation: First we are going to talk about the types of gestation that exist, viviparous and oviparous: The viviparous is an animal that develops in the mother’s womb, then childbirth occurs and the animal is born, the oviparous develops in a kind of egg that hatches after a few months and the animal is born. Viviparous type reproduction is characteristic of mammals (except the platypus) and some birds, the rest of animals with sexual reproduction are oviparous.
- Types of fertilization: Within sexual reproduction there are two types, internal fertilization, in which the fertilization of the female’s ovum occurs inside the female, this is typical of mammals, birds and some reptiles, and the external fertilization, in which the eggs that the female has laid are fertilized, which is why it is characteristic of oviparous animals such as insects, fish or amphibians.
- Types of development: Animals once they are born develop in different ways, that is, some go through phases of metamorphosis to become adults and others are adults but in miniature. For example, butterflies go through the larval stage and frogs through the tadpole stage. Highly evolved animals such as mammals or birds always have direct development.
- Types of reproductive strategies: Now let’s talk about these strategies, that is, the way that animals have to endure over time, there are those that use the R strategy, that is, they have many descendants that usually live in poor conditions, are born many, many die and the species endures, it is usually characteristic of flies, cockroaches and maladjusted animals. The other example is the K strategy is used by better adapted animals, such as mammals or birds; they have few descendants but are well cared for, therefore the species endures.
- Special cases: As in everything, there are special cases in the reproduction of animals, first we have the case of the snail, from the family of mollusks within invertebrate animals, the snail is hermaphrodite, and that is, it is neither male nor female. female, but both things and can perform both functions within reproduction (two snails are always necessary but one can act as male or female), it also sometimes occurs in the arthropod family in which symbiosis can occur with parasites that they can change the reproductive system of males and turn them into females. Also say that animals with asexual reproduction usually have a neutral sex, since they do not need two individuals to reproduce.
Tips for reproducing animals
- Be an observer: If you want to enjoy nature and its richness, be an observer, we can explain how animals reproduce, but ideally you should see it for yourself to admire nature, a cow giving birth, a worm cocoon silk exploding and hatching a butterfly, an egg from which an ostrich hatches. Go outside and explore the world.
