Egg-jelly production and composition in an oviparous chondrichthyan,Scyliorhinus canicula (Linnaeus, 1758) |
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| Authors: | Eva Lenain Aaron C Henderson |
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| Institution: | 1. Marine and Freshwater Research Centre, Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology, Galway, Ireland;2. Department of Biology, College of Science, UAE University, Al Ain, United Arab Emirates |
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| Abstract: | Embryos of oviparous chondrichthyans develop within a structurally complex tertiary egg envelope known as the egg-case, which is provisioned with a secondary egg coat known as the egg-jelly. Whereas the former has been studied in detail, relatively little attention has been paid to the latter. This study examined the production and composition of egg-jelly in the small-spotted catshark Scyliorhinus canicula (Linnaeus, 1758) and determined that it is a mucin hydrogel. The role of the egg-jelly appears to be one of simple, physical support for the developing embryo, as it was not found to possess bactericidal properties, nor did its constituents suggest a nutritive role. |
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