The animal that commonly gives birth only once in its lifetime is the octopus.
Semelparous Reproduction
Most octopuses exhibit a reproductive strategy called semelparity. This means that they reproduce only once during their entire lifespan, a fact that makes their life cycle quite distinct from many other animals.
Octopus Life Cycle
- Mating: After mating, the female octopus will lay eggs.
- Egg Guarding: The female then diligently guards the eggs, protecting them from predators and ensuring they are well-oxygenated.
- End of Life: During this extended brooding period, the female octopus usually ceases to feed, eventually leading to her death once the eggs hatch.
- Offspring: The young octopuses hatch and begin their independent lives, while the mother octopus's life cycle ends with her single reproductive event.
Unique Reproductive Strategy
This single reproduction is a unique survival strategy. By investing all their energy into one reproductive event, the octopus ensures a high probability of successful hatching.
Example:
Reference:
- Most octopuses are semelparous, which means they reproduce only once in their lifetime.10-Jul-2023
Therefore, based on the reference, octopuses are a notable example of animals that only give birth once in their lifetime.
