I am looking at anise swallowtail larvae squirming in their eggs, getting ready to hatch. What happens to embryos’ waste products for species that develop in self-contained eggs? Is this process the same across insects and other invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles, and birds? And at least for…

That title had me concerned for a few seconds. I thought you had loads of non-mammalian embryos lying around somewhere which you wanted to get rid of. Haha Good question though! This website very briefly explains waste removal inside a bird egg. Basically the egg has a “garbage sack”, called allant…

[image] eyekosaeder: That title had me concerned for a few seconds. I thought you had loads of non-mammalian embryos lying around somewhere which you wanted to get rid of. Haha Same here! :sweat_smile:

[image] edith1111: What happens to embryos’ waste products for species that develop in self-contained eggs? Is this process the same across insects and other invertebrates, amphibians, reptiles, and birds? I wonder if the waste products would be significant with an animal so small with a rela…

As pisum pointed out, the allantois is key here for amniotic tetrapods (so evolutionarily, everything after amphibians). In essence, the allantois is a membrane that has an outpocket into which the toxic nitrogenous waste can be shunted and sequestered. For those things that retain their shell, this…

Fascinating! Thank you, everyone for sharing your insights :)

Non-Mammal Embryo Waste Removal?

Nature Talk

pisum September 18, 2024, 10:40pm 4

i have no idea what invertebrates do, but for vertebrates, read up on the allantois and the difference between amniotes and anamniotes.

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Non-Mammal Embryo Waste Removal?

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