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White shark – the ostrich has the largest laid egg.
The great white shark is ovoviviparous, which means that the shark grows in an egg, which is then hatched inside the mother. Shortly thereafter, the shark pup is born. While in the womb, great white shark embryos feast on unfertilized eggs, a practice known as oophagy. It doesn't appear that they eat the fertilized eggs, but they may swallow their own teeth when they lose them for the calcium.
The gestation period is estimated to be 12 to 18 months, but this is largely speculative. The litter size of the great white ranges from two to 10 pups, although litters of up to 17 pups have been documented.
At birth, great white shark pups measure 5 feet (1.5 meters) and weigh about 77 pounds. The great white grows slowly: Males reach maturity at age 9 or 10, while females are mature at 14 to 16 years of age. Scientists believe that they live about 30 years.
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