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Viviparity In To Kill A Mockingbird

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Introduction
Viviparity (live birth) is a highly uncommon form of reproduction in the insect world, those that do have this type of reproduction fall into two main groups: those who have a high offspring rates and those who have low offspring rates. Viviparity, while uncommon, does serve a distinct purpose. In some cases the insect has very few ovarioles to begin with, in which case, it is essential for the offspring to be given the best chances at survival they can get. Having the embryo safely protected inside the insect while it develops gives the young insect a far better survival rate than those who are deposited in eggs outside the mother. In other cases, such as with Aphids, it allows for a ‘telescoping generations’ effect which greatly increases the numbers of …show more content…

Ovoviviparity is a type of viviparity where the developing embryos are carried in a pouch or an outgrowth of genital ducts and is most commonly known in the cockroach families (Huffaker, 1999, p. 149). This type of viviparity is less taxing on the female since the developing young are not directly sustaining themselves off her body as they do in true viviparity. Aphids on the other hand use a strange method known as ‘telescoping generations’. The term ‘telescoping generations’, according to Capinera (2008), “refers to the fact that a mother can have in her ovarioles developing embryos which in turn also contain embryos or future granddaughters” (p. 195). This is an advantage since as soon as they become adults they are able to reproduce immediately due to the fact that they already had developing embryos in them (Capinera, 2008, p.1104). While viviparity commonly has a low reproductive rate there are such insects, like cockroaches and aphids, which are able to use this form of reproduction to their advantage to produce higher numbers of

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