LIFE SCIENCES

GRADE 12

TOPIC: REPRODUCTION IN VERTEBRATES

PRESENTERS : VEDIKA MAHARAJ AND AGNES MOABELO

DATE: 22 FEBRUARY 2024

 IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS
Past year
papers:
NSC + Prelim
Exemplar 4 sets
Exam Guidelines
Broadcasting &
WEB lessons & Textbooks

Mind the Gap

SSIP material
DBE Study RESOURCES www.education.gov.za
guides
EXAM GUIDELINE
REPRODUCTION IN VERTEBRATES
PAPER 1: 8 MARKS
 REPRODUCTION IN VERTEBRATES
(8 marks)

What to focus on:

External and Ovipary, Precocial and Parental

Amniotic Altricial
Internal Vivipary and care
Ovovivipary Egg development
fertilisation
 EXTERNAL FERTILISATION: ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES
• No additional energy is needed for
parental care or formation of a
protective layer.
• No need for a male to have a special
organ to insert the sperm into the
female’s body.
• Chances are very slim for a sperm cell
to meet the ova.
•
Predators eat the sperm and ova
before fertilisation can occur.
• Strong currents carry sperm cells
away before fertilisation can occur.

• • Reproduction must take place in water

Chances of fertilisation are
enhanced by courtship display by otherwise gametes or fertilised ova
fish. will dehydrate.
 INTERNAL FERTILISATION: ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES
• Ensures that the sperm
cell come into contact • Fewer eggs are produced
with the ovum • The animal must have a copulatory
• Developing embryo is organ to insert sperm cells into the
protected from female body
predators and removed
from harsh environment
EXTERNAL FERTILISATION VS INTERNAL FERTILISATION
 OVIPARY, OVOVIVIPARY AND OVIPARY

Eggs are laid, and development of

Ovi / pary
OVIPARY the embryo occurs outside the
Egg + bearing
female’s body.
Eggs develop and hatch within the Important
Ovo / vivi / pary
OVOVIVIPARY female’s body and young are born definitions
Egg + live + bearing
live.
Vivi / pary No eggs are present, young develop
VIVIPARY
Live + bearing from the placenta and are born live
COMPARISON OF OVIPARY, OVOVIVIPARY AND VIVIPARY
 EMBRYONIC DEVELOPMENT

EMBRYONIC DEVELOPMENT: Ovipary and Ovovivipary

Advantages:
• Eggs and sperm cells are produced in large numbers to
increase chances of survival to adulthood.
• Parental care ensures survival to adulthood. (Precocial)

Advantages:
• The young one is protected from cold and predators to ensure
survival.
• The young are well developed when born therefore their
chances of survival increases because they will be able to evade
their predators.
 EMBRYONIC DEVELOPMENT: Vivipary
Advantages:
⦿ Development occurs within the
mother’s body ensuring protection of
the developing young.
⦿ The young are born well developed
and are therefore less prone to
being attacked.
⦿ Parental care increases the chances
of survival of the young.

Disadvantages:
• Number of off springs produced is
few.
• More energy is used to provide
parental care.
AMNIOTIC EGG

• The embryo develops inside the amnion

and is protected by many membranes
and a hard shell.
• Amniotic fluid protects the embryo
from drying out.
• It feeds from the yolk.
• The allantois removes metabolic
wastes.
• The chorion supplies oxygen, food and
water.
 PRECOCIAL & ALTRICIAL DEVELOPMENT
PRECOCIAL h i g hly
When they hatch their eyes are u n g are a b le
Yo d an d
open. Their bodies are covered e l o p e t a nd
de v a bo u
with soft feathers . m o v e l ves
t o em s e
They are able to move soon after d t h
fee
they have hatched. They are able
to feed themselves. They are
independent of their parents. - n e e da
e a nd
ALTRICIAL m atu r
ta l care
Im p a ren
f
Young ones are unable to move lot o
after birth and are helpless.

They do not have feathers (birds)

and blind.
They need to be fed and kept warm.
 PARENTAL CARE

• Refers to looking after young

ones through feeding,
keeping them warm,
protecting them from the
predators.

• Such animals give rise to

few offspring.
MTG summary p17
MTG summary continues
 Question 1
The bluefin tuna, the great white shark and 1. Name the type of fertilisation that takes place in the bottlenose
the bottlenose dolphin are three aquatic dolphin. (1)
species that are found in the Indian Ocean. Internal fertilisation

An adult bluefin releases up to 540 000 000 2. Explain how TWO of the reproductive strategies of the great
eggs into the water annually, while the great white shark increase its reproductive success.
white shark female produces 2 to 12 (4)
offspring through ovovivipary every two Internal fertilisation
years. A bottlenose dolphin female, being a increases the chances of fertilisation
mammal, is viviparous and produces one Ovovivipary/ eggs retained inside the female’s body
offspring every two to three years. for better protection from predators/harsh environment
3. Explain ONE reason why the bluefin tuna releases a large number of eggs. (2)
To increase the chances of fertilisation
since there is external fertilisation
OR
To increase the survival of the eggs/number of offspring
As eggs may be lost to predators/environmental factors
 Question 2 (Gauteng Prelim P1 2022)
The diagrams below show the internal structure of an amniotic egg
after fertilisation, as well as the chick that hatched from the egg.
2.1 Name the type of fertilization that has taken place. (1)
Internal  fertilisation
2.2 State the type of reproductive strategy which is
shown by the development of an embryo within
an amniotic egg. (1)
Ovipary 
2.3 Identify the type of development that the hatched
chick shows. (1)
Altricial 
2.4 Give TWO functions of the amniotic fluid. (2)
 Protects the foetus against shock/mechanical
injuries
 Keeps the foetus moist/Protects the foetus from
drying out
 Protects the foetus from temperature changes
 Allows the foetus to move freely/Supports the
body of the foetus during development
 Question 2 (Gauteng Prelim P1 2022)
The diagrams below show the internal structure of an amniotic egg
after fertilisation, as well as the chick that hatched from the egg.

2.5 Explain how the size of the yolk sac affects the development of
the chick in the diagram.
(3)
 The yolk sac was smaller
 Therefore, (the chick) it received less nutrients in the form of yolk
- (The chick) it is less developed/underdeveloped/eyes are
closed/has only down feathers/has no feathers/cannot
walk/shows altricial development
 Question 3 (DBE Nov P1 2022)
3.1 Name the type of fertilisation that takes place in
both fish species. (1)
External fertilisation

3.2 Explain why both fish species are oviparous. (2)

- Their embryos develop inside eggs
- Which are laid/hatch outside the body of the
female

3.3 Describe TWO ways in which the chances of

fertilisation are increased in the northern pike fish.(2)
- The males release semen all around the female
when she releases the eggs 
- A large number of gametes/eggs are produced 
 Question 3 (DBE Nov P1 2022)
3.4 Which graph (X or Y) represents the survival rate of
the northern pike fish? (1)
Graph X 

3.5 Explain your answer to QUESTION 3.4. (3)

- They will have a higher number of surviving
embryos /eggs
- Because their fertilised eggs are attached to the
vegetation 
- Where they are protected from predators /washing
away
 Question 4 (KZN Prelim P1 2023)
4.1 State whether crocodiles have internal or external
fertilisation. (1)
Internal fertilisation

4.2 Explain TWO ways in which the type of fertilisation,

named in QUESTION 4.1, increases reproductive
success in crocodiles. (4)
- Sperms are deposited inside the female body
- Which increases the chances of fertilisation
- Protection provided by the mother’s body decreases
mortality rate

4.3 Name the type of reproductive strategy in

crocodiles which relates to the nourishment and
protection of the developing embryo. (1)
Ovipary
Question 4 (KZN Prelim P1 2023)

4.4 Explain TWO ways in which the type of fertilisation,

named in QUESTION 4.1, increases reproductive
success in crocodiles. (4)
- Removes the debris from the egg
- Assists the hatchling to the water
- Opens the eggs carefully with her tongue
- Carries the hatchlings in her mouth
END OF THE PRESENTATION