A COMPARISON OF AVIAN AND REPTILIAN CHORIOALLANTOIC VASCULAR DENSITY

Abstract

Oviparous amniotes exchange respiratory gases across a specialized vascular membrane, the chorioallantois. Although many investigations into the physiology of amniote eggs, particularly those of the chicken, have been carried out, there is no comparative information about the chorioallantoic membrane. Given the differences in size and phylogeny, it might be expected that significant morphological differences exist in this gas-exchange organ.