breeding strategies

Question 1

external fertilisation

Answer 1

a number of eggs are scattered, as well as sperm being spread into the water, with the hopes that enough eggs will be fertilised and enough young will survive

Question 2

viviparous

Answer 2

some give birth to live young; feeding the young inside the mother via a placenta

Question 3

ovoviviparous

Answer 3

eggs are hatched within the mothers body, prior to birth

Question 4

oviparous

Answer 4

producing young via eggs

Question 5

mouthbrooders

Answer 5

fertilised eggs are hatched within the mouth of a parent, with the young staying protected within the mouth until they are self-suficient

Question 6

male characteristics

Answer 6

males have specialised fins or protrusions that can deliver sperm to a specific area on the female fish

Question 7

sperm storage (females)

Answer 7

some female fish species are able to store sperm for several egg-laying cycles

Question 8

sequential hermaphrodites

Answer 8

• reef fish species who change sex at a certain point in their lives
• it is advantageous to change sex when the reproductive benefits of the other sex outweighs that of the current one

Question 9

protogyny

Answer 9

fish starts off female and changes to male at a later stage

Question 10

protandry

Answer 10

fish starts off male and changes to female at a later stage

Question 11

egg scattering

Answer 11

females scatter eggs at random to be fertilised, with no parental care

Question 12

egg depositors

Answer 12

females deposit eggs in specific area, with larger and fewer eggs than scatterers

Question 13

egg buriers

Answer 13

• live in waters that dry up or have a ‘dry season’
• eggs are laid in the ground during the dry season, where they remain dormant until the season is over

Question 14

nest builders

Answer 14

males construct and protect nests to place fertilised eggs