Internal fertilization


Internal fertilization is the union of an egg cell with a sperm during sexual reproduction inside the female body. For this to happen there needs to be a method for the male to introduce the sperm into the female's reproductive tract. In mammals, reptiles, some birds, some fish and certain other groups of animals, this is done by copulation, the penis or other intromittent organ being introduced into the vagina or cloaca. In most birds, the cloacal kiss is used, the two animals pressing their cloacas together while transferring sperm. Salamanders, spiders, some insects and some molluscs undertake internal fertilization by transferring a spermatophore, a bundle of sperm, from the male to the female. Following fertilization, the embryos are laid as eggs in oviparous organisms, or in viviparous organisms, continue to develop inside the reproductive tract of the mother to be born later as live young.

Methods of internal fertilization

which takes place inside the female body is called internal fertilization in animals is done through the following different ways:
At some point, the growing egg or offspring must be expelled. There are several possible modes of reproduction. These are traditionally classified as follows: