Trophic Egg - Morphology

Morphology

Trophic eggs are not always morphologically distinct from normal reproductive eggs; however if there is no physical distinction there tends to be some kind of specialised behaviour in the way that trophic eggs are delivered by the parents.

In some beetles, trophic eggs are paler in colour and softer in texture than reproductive eggs, with a smoother surface on the chorion. It has also been found that trophic eggs in ants have a less pronounced reticulate pattern on the chorion.

The morphological differences may arise due to the fact that mothers invest less energy in the production of trophic eggs than viable eggs.

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