LIFE SCIENCES

GRADE 12

TOPIC: REPRODUCTION IN VERTEBRATES

PRESENTERS : SAMANTHA RUGUNANAN AND
AGNES MOABELO

DATE: 27 FEBRUARY 2025

 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
8 MARKS
Paper
1
 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
• Chances are very slim for a sperm cell
to meet the ova.
• No additional energy is needed for
parental care or formation of a •
protective layer. Predators eat the sperm and ova
before fertilisation can occur.
• No need for a male to have a special • Strong currents carry sperm cells
organ to insert the sperm into the
female’s body. 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 • The animal must have a copulatory
cell come into contact organ to insert sperm cells into the
with the ovum female body
• Developing embryo is
protected from
predators and removed
from harsh environment

• Fewer eggs are produced

EXTERNAL FERTILISATION VS INTERNAL FERTILISATION
 OVIPARY, OVOVIVIPARY AND OVIPARY
Eggs are laid, and development of
Ovi / pary the embryo occurs outside the
OVIPARY
Egg + bearing female’s body.
Eggs develop and hatch within the
Ovo / vivi / pary female’s body and young are born
OVOVIVIPARY
Egg + live + bearing live.

Vivi / pary No eggs are present, young develop

VIVIPARY from the placenta and are born live
Live + bearing
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)
• The young one is protected from cold and predators to
ensure survival.
 EMBRYONIC DEVELOPMENT: Vivipary
Advantages:
⦿ Development occurs within the mother’s body ensuring
protection and nutrition

⦿ Parental care increases the chances of survival of the

young.

Disadvantages:
• Number of offspring 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 2.3 Identify the type of development that the hatched
after fertilisation, as well as the chick that hatched from the egg. 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
2.1 Name the type of fertilization that has taken place. (1)  Allows the foetus to move freely/Supports the
Internal  fertilisation body of the foetus during development

2.2 State the type of reproductive strategy which is

shown by the development of an embryo within
an amniotic egg. (1)
Ovipary 
 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 Name TWO ways, mentioned in the passage, which

indicates that crocodiles have parental care. (2)
- 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
 (GAUTENG Prelim P1 2023)
2.1 In some frog species, during mating, the male climbs onto the 2.1.2 Explain why the fertilized eggs of these frogs do
back of the female and grasps her with his front legs. During not survive on land. (2)
this time, the female will release about 6 000 ova, while the
male releases sperm onto them. This mating behavior is
called amplexus. The eggs will dry out🗸
because they have no shells🗸 /are not amniotic eggs /have no
amnion

2.1.3 Explain how amplexus increases the chances of

fertilization in frogs. (2)

The male and female bodies are in close contact🗸 o

that sperm can be released directly onto the ova🗸

OR

Many/up to 6 000 ova are released🗸

since fertilisation is external🗸 Any (1 x 2)
2.1.1 Name the type of fertilization that occurs during (Mark the first ONE only)
reproduction in frogs. (1)

External fertilization
 (GAUTENG Prelim P1 2023)
2.1 In some frog species, during mating, the male climbs onto the
back of the female and grasps her with his front legs. During 2.1.4 From the information above, explain ONE other
this time, the female will release about 6 000 ova, while the strategy that contributes to reproductive success
male releases sperm onto them. This mating behavior is of the frog species. (2)
called amplexus.

- Many/up to 6 000 ova are released🗸

since fertilisation is external🗸 /increasing the chance
that some will be fertilised

OR
- The male and female bodies are in close contact🗸 so
- that sperm can be released directly onto the ova🗸
(Mark the first ONE only) Any (1 x 2)
END OF THE PRESENTATION