What is the reproductive classification for zebra sharks that lay eggs in tough casings?
Answer
Oviparous
The classification 'oviparous' describes organisms that reproduce by laying eggs that develop and hatch outside the mother's body. Zebra sharks fit this description because the female produces large, durable egg casings, typically dark brown or purplish-black, which she secures to underwater structures like reef outcroppings using specialized adhesive fibers emerging from her vent. While they can also reproduce asexually through parthenogenesis, their standard sexual reproduction method, involving the deposition of protective egg casings, places them firmly in the oviparous category.
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