Nest Quest: Identify the Egg Layers Quiz

Answer:

Here's some information about each of the egg-laying animals mentioned:

Mallard duck (Anas platyrhynchos):
Mallards lay their eggs in nests that are usually built on the ground and are often lined with down feathers plucked from the female's breast. The female incubates the eggs and the ducklings hatch after about 28 days. Mallard eggs are known for their greenish colour and are typically laid in clutches of 8-12 eggs.

Loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta):
Loggerhead turtles are known for their nesting habits, with females coming ashore to lay their eggs on sandy beaches. They dig deep nests with their back flippers and can lay up to 100 eggs per clutch. The temperature of the nest determines the sex of the hatchlings, with warmer temperatures producing females and cooler temperatures producing males.

Corn snake (Pantherophis guttatus):
Corn snakes are oviparous, meaning they lay eggs. After mating, the female corn snake will lay a clutch of eggs, typically 12 to 24 eggs, in a warm, secluded location. The eggs are then left unattended and after an incubation period of around 60 days, the hatchlings emerge.

Komodo dragon (Varanus komodoensis):
Female Komodo dragons lay their eggs in nests dug into the ground, usually on a sunny hillside. They can lay up to 30 eggs at a time, which they bury and guard for several months until they hatch. Komodo dragons can reproduce asexually through a process called parthenogenesis, although this is rare.

American bullfrog (Lithobates catesbeianus):
Bullfrogs typically lay their eggs in large, spherical clusters, often attached to vegetation in shallow water. The eggs hatch into tadpoles, which then metamorphose into adult frogs. Bullfrog eggs are surrounded by a jelly-like substance that provides protection and moisture.

Axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum):
Axolotls are unique in that they reach sexual maturity without metamorphosing, making them permanently aquatic. They lay their eggs on aquatic plants or other surfaces and can produce hundreds of eggs per clutch. Axolotl eggs are transparent and can be observed developing from the outside.

Atlantic salmon (Salmo salar):
Atlantic salmon are anadromous, meaning they migrate from freshwater rivers to the ocean to spawn. Female salmon build nests called redds in gravel beds where they lay their eggs. After hatching, the young salmon, called fry, spend several years in freshwater before migrating to the ocean.

Orange clownfish (Amphiprion percula):
Clownfish are known for their symbiotic relationship with sea anemones. They lay their eggs in a nest near the anemone, where the male guards and aerates them until they hatch. Interestingly, clownfish eggs are sticky and adhere to the substrate, providing protection from predators.

Monarch butterfly (Danaus plexippus):
Monarch butterflies lay their eggs exclusively on milkweed plants, which are the sole food source for monarch caterpillars. The female lays her eggs individually on the underside of milkweed leaves. Monarch eggs are small, pale and cylindrical, resembling tiny ridged domes.

Honey bee (Apis mellifera):
Honey bees lay their eggs in hexagonal cells in the hive, where they are tended by worker bees. The queen bee lays fertilised eggs, which develop into female workers, or unfertilised eggs, which develop into male drones. The eggs hatch into larvae, which are fed and cared for by the worker bees.

Red imported fire ant (Solenopsis invicta):
Red imported fire ants reproduce by the queen ant laying eggs. These eggs are tended by worker ants within the colony until they hatch into larvae. Interestingly, fire ant colonies can produce both winged reproductive individuals and wingless worker ants from these eggs.

Garden snail (Cornu aspersum):
Garden snails are hermaphrodites, meaning they have both male and female reproductive organs. They lay their eggs in damp soil or under objects on the ground. Snail eggs are typically small, round and translucent. After a period of incubation, tiny snails hatch from the eggs.

Common octopus (Octopus vulgaris):
Female octopuses lay their eggs in burrows or crevices where they guard and ventilate them until they hatch. Octopus eggs are laid in clusters and are often attached to a substrate. The female may stop eating during the incubation period, devoting all her energy to the care of the eggs.

Black widow spider (Latrodectus mactans):
Black widow spiders produce silk egg sacs which they deposit in sheltered places such as under rocks or in vegetation. Each sac contains hundreds of eggs, which are wrapped in silk for protection. After hatching, the spiderlings disperse and begin their independent lives.

Tarantula (Theraphosidae):
Female tarantulas lay eggs in silk-lined burrows or egg sacs, where they are guarded until they hatch. Tarantula egg sacs can contain tens to hundreds of eggs, depending on the species. The female may show maternal care, protecting the sac until the spiderlings hatch.


Unlike egg-laying species, these animals have different reproductive systems:

The Green anaconda (Eunectes murinus) reproduces through a process called ovoviviparity. During mating, the male transfers sperm to the female, fertilising her eggs inside. The female then carries the fertilised eggs inside her body until they hatch. Unlike oviposition, in ovoviviparity the eggs hatch inside the mother and she gives birth to live young. This adaptation allows the offspring to receive protection and nourishment from the mother until they are fully developed and ready to survive independently.

Great white sharks (Carcharodon carcharias) are ovoviviparous as well, meaning that the embryos develop in eggs that hatch inside the mother's body. However, unlike mammals, there is no placental connection and the embryos rely on yolk sacs for nourishment. Once the pups are fully developed, they are born alive. Great whites typically give birth to a small number of pups after a gestation period of around 12 months.

Red kangaroos (Osphranter rufus) reproduce through a unique marsupial process. After courtship and mating, females experience a brief embryonic diapause before giving birth to tiny, undeveloped joeys. The newborns crawl into the mother's pouch, where they nurse and grow rapidly. Over several months, joeys become increasingly independent, venturing out of the pouch but returning to nurse.

Bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) reproduce sexually. After fertilisation, the female dolphin carries the developing embryo in her uterus for a gestation period of about 12 months. When the calf is fully developed, the female gives birth to a single baby dolphin, called a calf, usually tail first to avoid drowning.

Blue whales (Balaenoptera musculus) reproduce sexually, with males and females mating in warm tropical waters during the breeding season. After fertilisation, the female carries the developing embryo for about 10-12 months. Blue whale calves are born live and are typically nursed by their mothers for 6-12 months before becoming independent.