Developmental mechanism

Trait Definition
Oviparous Egg laying; producing eggs that are laid and hatch externally (Lincoln et al. 1998).
Planktotrophic Feeding at least in part on materials captured from the plankton (Barnes et al., 1993).
Lecithotrophic Development at the expense of internal resources (e.g. yolk, oil) provided by the female (Barnes et al., 1993).
Direct development Development without a larval stage.
Ovoviviparous Fully formed eggs are retained and hatched within the maternal body, with the release of live offspring (Lincoln et al. 1998). No nutrition is derived from the mother.
Viviparous Producing live offspring from within the body of the parent (Lincoln et al., 1998). Development of an embryo within the body of the parent, in part, resources passing directly from parent to embryo (Barnes et al., 2001).
Brooding The incubation of eggs either inside or outside the body. Eggs may be brooded to a variety of developmental stages. Males or females may be responsible for brooding (adapted from Ruppert & Barnes, 1994).

References

  1. Barnes, R.S.K., Calow, P. & Olive, P.J.W., 1993. The invertebrates: a new synthesis. Oxford: Blackwell Science Ltd.
  2. Lincoln, R., Boxshall, G. & Clark, P., 1998. A dictionary of ecology, evolution and systematics (2nd ed.). Cambridge: Cambridge University of Press.
  3. Ruppert, E.E. & Barnes, R.D., 1994. Invertebrate zoology (6th ed.). Fort Worth, USA: Saunders College Publishing