The Evolution of Viviparity in Vertebrates

Abstract

In the vertebrate tree of life, viviparity or live birth has independently evolved many times, resulting in a rich diversity of reproductive strategies. Viviparity is believed to be a mode of reproduction that evolved from the ancestral condition of oviparity or egg laying, where most of the fetal development occurs outside the body. Today, there is not a simple model of parity transition to explain this species-specific divergence in modes of reproduction. Most evidence points to a gradual series of evolutionary adaptations that account for this phenomenon of reproduction, elegantly displayed by various viviparous squamates that exhibit placentae formed by the appositions of maternal and embryonic tissues, which share significant homology with the tissues that form the placenta in therian mammals. In an era where the genomes of many vertebrate species are becoming available, studies are now exploring the molecular basis of this transition from oviparity to viviparity, and in some rare instances its possible reversibility, such as the Australian three-toed skink (Saiphos equalis). In contrast to the parity diversity in squamates, mammals are viviparous with the notable exception of the egg-laying monotremes. Advancing computational tools coupled with increasing genome availability across species that utilize different reproductive strategies promise to reveal the molecular underpinnings of the ancestral transition of oviparity to viviparity. As a result, the dramatic changes in reproductive physiology and anatomy that accompany these parity changes can be reinterpreted. This chapter will briefly explore the vertebrate modes of reproduction using a phylogenetic framework and where possible highlight the role of potential candidate genes that may help explain the polygenic origins of live birth.

Keywords: Oviparity; Parity evolution; Viviparity.