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That is the question. Just curious...

Thanks,
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Chris Smith
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Captive Bred Herps

I sometimes get these mixed up, but viviparous means live-birth, while the other is egg laying.

Boas would then be viviparous, or live-bearing.

Ian

I would say ovovivparous as the young have egg sacks that the break upon exiting or outside of the mom. but here are defs for both.

Main Entry: ovo·vi·vip·a·rous
Pronunciation: -"vI-'vip-(&r&s
Function: adjective
: producing eggs that develop within the maternal body and hatch within or immediately after extrusion from the parent —compare LARVIPAROUS, OVIPAROUS, VIVIPAROUS

Here is the def for Viv

1 entry found for viviparous.
Main Entry: vi·vip·a·rous
Pronunciation: vI-'vip-(&r&s, v&-
Function: adjective
: producing living young instead of eggs from within the body in the manner of nearly all mammals, many reptiles, and a few fishes —compare LARVIPAROUS, OVIPAROUS, OVOVIVIPAROUS —vi·vip·a·rous·ly adverb

Almost all live-bearing snakes are considered ovoviviparous because the developing embryo in the females body is nourished entirely by energy stored in the yolk of the egg. This includes all true boas. A snake can only be considered viviparous if the embryo obtains some of its energy and nutrition directly from the mothers body through a maternal tissue connection similar to a placental membrane. True viviparous reproduction in snakes is rare and only occurs in a very few colubrids, elapids, and vipers.

Kelly

np
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Chris Smith
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Captive Bred Herps