Sharks belong to a kind of fish. They reproduce by laying eggs, which is quite different from the viviparous way of mammals. However, the oviposition of sharks is also very different from that of other fish. Specifically, their reproductive steps are as follows:
1. Reach the right age: In order for sharks to reproduce, they first need to reach the right age. They enter sexual maturity at a later age. For example, species such as lemon sharks take 15 years to mature sexually, while spiny dogfish take 20 years to mature sexually.
2. Internal fertilization: Unlike the internal fertilization of other fish, sharks are generally internally fertilized during mating. Although different species of sharks have different mating patterns, some of them are common, such as biting is a common behavior during mating, so the process seems to be more brutal.
3. Hatching inside the body: The reproduction of sharks is different from that of other fish, because the larvae of sharks are hatched inside the body. Although this is the same as viviparity, it is essentially oviparous, because there is no transfer and exchange of nutrients between the larvae and the mother. Of course, there are some species of sharks that lay fertilized eggs directly, but relatively few. Sharks also have a long gestation period, much longer than other fish, averaging 9-12 months.
The breeding efficiency of sharks is not high. Sometimes they can reproduce once a year, sometimes they can only reproduce once a few years. Specifically, their reproductive frequency is also related to varieties, and different varieties have different intervals of reproduction.
