Oxygen Consumption by Sea Turtle (Chelonia, Caretta) Eggs during Development

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Abstract
Sea turtle (Chelonia, Caretta) eggs consume O₂ throughout their 55-65 day incubation. The pattern of O₂ uptake (at 30 C) appears sigmoidal. The rate of O₂ uptake increases rapidly during the second half of incubation, slowing slightly just prior to hatching. The maximum O₂ uptake ( ) occurs just prior to hatching and ranges from 90 to 137 cm³ O₂ STPD · day⁻¹. The total O₂ consumed during incubation (at 30 C) ranges from 40 to 60 cm³ O₂ STPD per gram of initial egg mass. This value is about one-half the O₂ consumed per gram of avian egg mass. Mass appears to be the primary determinant of egg for the reptilian eggs examined, although incubation period has a slight inverse influence of . The total O₂ consumed by the eggs of reptiles is directly influenced by egg mass and incubation time. At similar egg masses, the O₂ cost of incubation increases as species-specific incubation time increases.