It is relatively common knowledge that turtles lay eggs—think about sea turtles nesting on beaches and watching cute turtle hatchlings running pell-mell for the ocean. Although many people assume that all reptiles lay eggs, over twenty percent actually give live birth. These methods fall into two general categories, with members of each exhibiting a diverse array of individual mechanisms. Oviparous: (egg laying, from the Greek ovum or “egg” and parere “to bring forth”) These are the animals who deposit eggs in a nest or other suitable location to be hatched later. A few examples would be birds, turtles, ratsnakes, kingsnakes, geckos, and anoles. Viviparous: (live-bearing, from the Greek vivus “alive”) These animals give birth to fully-formed young.
This lesson is part of Certified Herpetological Guide. Enrollment is self-paced, with no deadline to finish (about 50 hours).
