Deeming, D. C. and Birchard, G. F. (2007) Allometry of egg and hatchling mass in birds and reptiles: roles of developmental maturity, eggshell structure and phylogeny. Journal of Zoology, 271 (1). pp. 78-87. ISSN 0952-8369

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Abstract

The factors determining hatchling mass (HM) are investigated in a wide range of birds and reptiles using regression analysis, analysis of covariance and comparative analysis by independent contrasts. In birds, initial egg mass (IEM) at laying is the most important factor affecting HM and phylogenetic relatedness has no significant effects on HM. Developmental maturity of the avian neonates did not affect the proportion of IEM converted into HM. For all reptile species, IEM also significantly affected HM but phylogenetic relatedness did not. By contrast, allometric relationships between IEM and HM in the different orders of reptiles were affected by shell type. The robustness of allometric relationships across taxa in birds and reptiles suggests that there is a physiological link between IEM and HM, which contrasts with that observed for the relationship between egg mass and incubation period. This result has significant implications for the inter-relationships between IEM and embryonic growth, which are discussed for birds and reptiles.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	The factors determining hatchling mass (HM) are investigated in a wide range of birds and reptiles using regression analysis, analysis of covariance and comparative analysis by independent contrasts. In birds, initial egg mass (IEM) at laying is the most important factor affecting HM and phylogenetic relatedness has no significant effects on HM. Developmental maturity of the avian neonates did not affect the proportion of IEM converted into HM. For all reptile species, IEM also significantly affected HM but phylogenetic relatedness did not. By contrast, allometric relationships between IEM and HM in the different orders of reptiles were affected by shell type. The robustness of allometric relationships across taxa in birds and reptiles suggests that there is a physiological link between IEM and HM, which contrasts with that observed for the relationship between egg mass and incubation period. This result has significant implications for the inter-relationships between IEM and embryonic growth, which are discussed for birds and reptiles.
Keywords:	Bird, Reptile, Egg mass, Hatchling mass, Phylogeny, Allometry, Eggshell
Subjects:	C Biological Sciences > C140 Developmental/Reproductive Biology C Biological Sciences > C700 Molecular Biology, Biophysics and Biochemistry
Divisions:	College of Sciences > Faculty of Science > School of Life Sciences
Depositing User:	Bev Jones
Date Deposited:	28 Jun 2007
Last Modified:	13 Mar 2013 08:24
URI:	http://eprints.lincoln.ac.uk/id/eprint/900

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