The barrier to gas Bur across the eggs of American alligators (Alligat
or mississippiensis) consists of a calcareous shell and an underlying
shell membrane of two layers, a limiting membrane facing the embryo an
d a fibrous membrane facing the shell. The limiting membrane is penetr
ated by an immense population (averaging 341,188 cm(-2)) of tiny pores
(averaging 0.51 mu m in diameter) and a small population (averaging 1
90 cm(-2)) of large pores (averaging 34.6 mu m in diameter). An estima
ted 6% of these pores are open at the onset of incubation, and 22%-24%
are open near hatch. The shell membrane is 2.6-10 times less permeabl
e to O-2 than the shell, Its permeability nearly quadruples during inc
ubation, is higher at the equator than elsewhere, increases more rapid
ly when eggs are incubated at 33 degrees C as opposed to 30 degrees C,
and appears to depend primarily on its water content. In contrast, th
e shell's permeability to O-2, as well as its water vapor conductance
and the number of open pores in it, does not change significantly duri
ng incubation.