Posted by:
Kelly_Haller
at Thu Jan 26 17:34:02 2006 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by Kelly_Haller ]
Chris,
It is not physically possible for a snake to absorb an embryo once it has started to develop. The swelling you noticed earlier was probably the formation of egg follicles. These egg follicles can be absorbed if they do not develop further into mature ova. This occurs when there is no stimulus from a male to cause them to proceed with their development. Once the ova become mature or after they move into the oviducts for fertilization, they cannot be absorbed by the female. At that point, if fertilized, they will develop and be expelled as neonates or eggs at the time of birth or laying. If the ova are unfertilized, they will be expelled as unfertilized shelled eggs, or unfertilized ova or "slugs". Additionally, you are correct in that it is fairly common for boids of the genera Eryx and Eunectes to ingest unfertilized ova.
Kelly
[ Hide Replies ]
- resorbtion or developing embryos? - CBH, Thu Jan 26 09:10:13 2006
 Good question, and I believe there is a lot of confusion about this.... - Kelly_Haller, Thu Jan 26 17:34:02 2006
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