Reptile and amphibian eggs are quite distinct from one another, although both are similar enough to other types of eggs that they are misidentified by the casual observer. Reptile eggs have shells like those of birds, and amphibians have jelly-like eggs like those of fish. These differences are important because they determine what is required for the animals to reproduce successfully. Reptiles—snakes, lizards, turtles, crocodilians, and tuatara—lay amniotic eggs, meaning the embryo inside is surrounded by an amnion (a trait shared with humans). Nutrients are contained in a yolk sac and gasses (oxygen and carbon dioxide) transpire between an allantois and the surrounding air, or in viviparous species, the mother’s body facilitates this exchange via a placental structure.
This lesson is part of Certified Herpetological Guide. Enrollment is self-paced, with no deadline to finish (about 50 hours).
