MILLER, T.J.; FINKLER, M.S.; Indiana University Kokomo: Bacterial clearance from snapping turtle eggs during early embryonic development.
Little is known about the interactions that occur between embryonic reptiles and microflora in the embryonic environment. In this study, we examined changes in total bacteria counts in snapping turtle egg contents (yolk and albumen combined) during the first four weeks of incubation at 24, 27, and 30�C. Initial bacteria contents of the eggs (~106/g egg mass) were substantially higher than those reported for birds. During the first week of embryonic development, total bacteria counts increased in a manner suggesting exponential growth. However bacteria counts dropped precipitously between Day 7 (~1010/g egg mass) and Day 14 (~103/g egg mass) of incubation, and remained low through the remainder of the study. There was no significant difference in bacteria counts among the three incubation temperatures. Our findings suggest the possibility that during early embryonic development (prior to Yntema stage 15) a broad-spectrum antibacterial agent is produced that eliminates much of the bacterial content of the egg.
