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A lizard with a placenta!

Adam Khor · 2012-04-12 15:55:14

A complex placenta is normal for mammals but exceedingly rare in a lizard (or maybe we haven´t been looking for it?) http://discovermagazine.com/2012/mar/31-the-lizard-with-a-humanlike-placenta

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12-04-2012 4:55pm

#1

Adam Khor

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A complex placenta is normal for mammals but exceedingly rare in a lizard (or maybe we haven´t been looking for it?)

http://discovermagazine.com/2012/mar/31-the-lizard-with-a-humanlike-placenta

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#2 13-04-2012 3:17am
Birdnuts

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A possibile missing link between mammals and reptiles??

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#3 16-04-2012 7:23pm
Hollzy

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Sounds like it!

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#4 17-04-2012 7:10pm
Mickeroo

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Very interesting indeed. Does the viviparous lizard not have soe sort of placenta too since it gives birth to live young?

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#5 28-04-2012 6:36pm
aidoh

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I don't think so. The same species of viviparous lizard that occurs in ireland oviposits in more arid climates. The fact that it gives live birth up this end of Europe is apparently a recent adaptation to cold. I'd guess they retain their embryos until they're developed enough to release, much in the same way that a lot of sharks do.

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