What is the fundamental reproductive difference that classifies the springbok as a placental mammal rather than a marsupial?
Answer
It relies on placental nourishment during a relatively long gestation period
Marsupials are defined by extremely short gestation leading to embryonic young that complete development externally in a pouch. The springbok has a gestation period of four to six months, nourishing the fetus via a placenta within the uterus.
Related Questions
To which taxonomic family does the springbok belong?What is the specific anatomical feature referenced by the Latin word 'marsupium' in the springbok's scientific name?What is the fundamental reproductive difference that classifies the springbok as a placental mammal rather than a marsupial?What makes the genus *Antidorcas* evolutionarily distinct regarding its living species count?How does the springbok often meet its total water requirements in the arid Southern African environment?What is the maximum height a springbok can typically reach during its famous stiff-legged vertical leaps, known as pronking?What historical migratory behavior, now largely ceased, involved massive herds of springbok crossing landscapes in response to drought?What is the current conservation status assigned to the springbok by the IUCN Red List?How is the springbok's diet described in relation to grasses and shrubs?What characteristic of muscle composition enables the springbok's explosive sprinting power?