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Glite Dictionary
ovoviviparous

ovoviviparous

9.9
Giving birth to young that hatch from eggs inside the mother's body
  • adjective
  • /ˌoʊvoʊˈvaɪvɪpərəs/
  • Specialized
translation icon : ovovivíparo
  • The female lizard is ovoviviparous, allowing her eggs to hatch inside her before she gives birth to her young.

Examples

  • The shark is known for being ovoviviparous, giving birth to live young after they have developed inside eggs in its body.

  • Animals having a placenta that have been called ovoviviparous should be considered to be viviparous.

    Academic text (1993)

  • Neither has a larva with a yolk sac, and there is no evidence that would indicate C. acrolepis is viviparous or ovoviviparous.

    Academic text (1990)

  • Some species of snakes are ovoviviparous, which means they keep their eggs inside until the young are ready to hatch.

Synonyms

viviparous
vsovoviviparous
  • Specialized
9.3

To give birth to live young that grow inside the mother's body

is when development occurs inside eggs that hatch within the body
live-bearing
vsovoviviparous
6.8

Giving birth to live young instead of laying eggs

is the case where eggs hatch inside before birth

How Live-Bearing

viviparous
  • Specialized
9.3
ovoviviparous
  • Specialized
9.9
oviparous
  • Specialized
9.6

Surface Forms

ovoviviparous positive

Morphology

ovoviviparous = viviparous (semi-transparent) = ovo + viviparous

Formation is regular (ovo- + viviparous) and its meaning is deducible for those familiar with biological combining forms, but the elements are technical and not fully transparent to an average B1 learner.

Etymology

Ovoviviparous breaks into parts: ovo- meaning 'egg', vivi- meaning 'alive', the same root as in survive, and -parous meaning 'bearing' or 'giving birth'. So an ovoviviparous animal keeps its eggs inside until they hatch and the young are born live.