What reproductive difference separates Family Boidae (E. notaeus) from Pythonidae?
Answer
Boas are viviparous, giving birth to live, developed young
A significant evolutionary divergence within the large constrictors is observed at the family level when comparing Boidae (boas, including anacondas) and Pythonidae (pythons). The defining difference relates to how offspring are produced. Boas are classified as viviparous, meaning the female retains the eggs internally until they hatch, resulting in the live birth of developed young. In contrast, pythons are oviparous, meaning they lay eggs, which the female often guards and incubates until hatching.
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