RESORPTION OF OVIDUCTAL EGGS AND EMBRYOS IN SQUAMATE REPTILES

Among squamate reptiles, gravid females are frequently said to be able to resorb infertile and malformed eggs from their oviducts. This patt ern, if it existed, would allow females to recycle nutrients from abor tive attempts at reproduction, and to increase lifetime reproductive p otential by modulating reproductive effort according to environmental circumstances. However, a review of the literature reveals that eviden ce for oviductal egg resorption is weak, and does not preclude other f ates for abortive eggs (egg retention or expulsion). Furthermore, for the oviduct to resorb eggs would require that it have the functional p roperties of the digestive tract, properties that may be incompatible with its several reproductive functions. Future work should not assume oviductal egg resorption in squamates without definitive evidence tha t the eggs are not simply aborted or retained by females following abs orption of water.