Phillott A D, Parmenter C J
School of Biological and Environmental Sciences, Central Queensland University, Rockhampton QLD 4702, Australia.
J Exp Zool. 2001 Apr 15;289(5):317-21. doi: 10.1002/1097-010x(20010415/30)289:5<317::aid-jez5>3.0.co;2-0.
It has been suggested that fungal presence on sea turtle eggs may impede gas exchange. To investigate the influence of diminished gas exchange surface upon embryo survivorship, flatback (Natator depressus) and green (Chelonia mydas) eggs were painted with petroleum jelly. Variable proportions of the egg surface were covered, including both respiratory and nonrespiratory domains. Embryo survival varied with site inhibited, proportion of eggshell affected, and species of turtle. If fungi on the exterior of the eggshell are able to impede respiratory gas exchange, their presence on the upper hemisphere (primary gas exchange area in early incubation) will result in the highest embryo mortality. Large eggs are likely to demonstrate a higher survivorship than small eggs, due to their larger available respiratory area and/or to variation in weight or stage-specific embryonic metabolic demands. Interspecific differences in egg size may therefore be a contributory factor to observed mortality rate differences in the natural presence of fungi.
有人提出，海龟蛋上的真菌可能会阻碍气体交换。为了研究气体交换表面减少对胚胎存活率的影响，平背龟（平背龟属）和绿海龟（绿蠵龟）的蛋被涂上了凡士林。蛋表面的不同比例被覆盖，包括呼吸区域和非呼吸区域。胚胎存活率因受抑制的部位、受影响的蛋壳比例以及海龟种类而异。如果蛋壳外部的真菌能够阻碍呼吸气体交换，那么它们出现在上半球（孵化早期的主要气体交换区域）将导致最高的胚胎死亡率。由于大蛋具有更大的可用呼吸面积和/或重量差异或特定阶段的胚胎代谢需求差异，大蛋可能比小蛋表现出更高的存活率。因此，蛋大小的种间差异可能是观察到的真菌自然存在时死亡率差异的一个促成因素。
