Clutch hydration following ovipositions by urination may reduce dessication in thorny devil (Moloch horridus) eggs
Document Type
Journal Article
Publisher
Royal Society of Western Australia
Faculty
Faculty of Computing, Health and Science
School
School of Natural Sciences
RAS ID
2481
Abstract
During fieldwork in the eastern goldfields, a gravid female thorny devil (Moloch horridus) was collected. Whilst held in captivity the female deposited eight eggs in a calico bag and apparently urinated over the clutch. We propose that thorny devils may hydrate their eggs after oviposition to reduce desiccation during development in the nesting burrow. This may lead to a fitness increase for the offspring at hatching in the form of increased hatchling size
Access Rights
free_to_read
Comments
Ladyman, M. T., & Thompson, S. A. (2003). Clutch hydration following oviposition by urination may reduce desiccation in thorny devil (Moloch horridus) eggs. Journal of the Royal Society of Western Australia, 86, 83-84. . Available here