The relationship of incubational egg weight loss with parthenogenesis in Chinese Painted quail (Coturnix chinensis)

Abstract

Parthenogenesis, embryonic development of an unfertilized egg, has been studied extensively in turkeys. Recently it has been revealed that parthenogenesis also occurs in Chinese Painted quail, and the percentage of eggs exhibiting parthenogenesis is negatively correlated with clutch sequence position. In broiler breeders, it has been reported that the first egg of a clutch sequence loses less egg weight during incubation than subsequent eggs. Because the incidence of parthenogenesis is greater and egg weight loss is less in the first egg of a clutch sequence, it is possible that egg weight loss is less in parthenogenetic eggs. Therefore, the objective of this study was to determine if a relationship exists between egg weight loss (a measure of eggshell quality) and parthenogenesis. Daily, individual eggs were collected and labeled. To determine egg weight loss, eggs were weighed before setting and then again after 10 d of incubation. Eggs were stored for 0 to 3 d at 20°C and incubated at 37.5°C. Pearson correlation coefficients were used to determine if relationships existed between egg weight loss and average incidence of parthenogenesis, parthenogen size, egg storage, and average clutch sequence position for all hens examined (157) as well as only for hens that exhibited parthenogenesis (102). The percentage of egg weight loss was negatively correlated with the incidence of parthenogenetic eggs and parthenogen size. However, the percentage of egg weight loss was positively correlated with average clutch position. In conclusion, it appears that eggshell quality possibly influences the incidence of parthenogenesis in Chinese Painted quail eggs because as the percentage of egg weight loss decreases, the incidence of parthenogenesis increases.

Parthenogenesis in birds: a review

“…Again, this low albumen pH appears to be due to a high CO 2 concentration. Also, eggs with parthenogenetic development are heavier at set and loss less weight (water) over incubation as opposed to eggs with no development (Wells et al 2012, Santa Rosa et al 2016b. Therefore, Santa Rosa et al (2016b) hypothesized that the lack of moisture loss in these eggs may increase hydration of the eggshell membrane leading to the closure of the eggshell pores, hence blocking gas exchange and leading to the accumulation of CO 2 produced by the parthenogen, thus lowering albumen pH.…”

Parental sex effect of parthenogenesis on hatchability and sperm-egg penetration in mated Chinese Painted quail (Coturnix chinensis)

“…Incubational egg weight loss was also reduced in the current study for the dams from the parthenogenetic line. Using virgin Chinese Painted quail, Wells et al [6] reported that eggs exhibiting parthenogenesis had a lower percentage of incubational egg weight loss as compared to eggs exhibiting no embryonic development. It appears that this difference in egg weight loss also occurs in mated Chinese Painted quail and that this reduction in egg weight loss is due mostly to the dams of the parthenogenetic line.…”

“…Interestingly, Wells et al [6] reported that eggs from virgin hens containing parthenogens were larger at set and lost less weight over incubation as opposed to eggs with no parthenogenetic development. These larger eggs that exhibit a lack of egg weight loss during incubation could contribute to the reduction in hatchability for mated quail selected for the parthenogenesis trait [4,5].…”

Skeletal development in blue‐breasted quail embryos

“…Thus, the use of the blue‐breasted quail as an avian model allows researchers to reduce the cost, space, and labor for breeding. Because of these advantages, the blue‐breasted quail has been used in the various research fields, for example, developmental biology, genetics, reproduction, behavior, and immunology for more than 20 years (Adkins‐Regan, ; Araguas, Sanz, Viñas, & Vidal, ; Kageyama, Takenouchi, Kinoshita, Nakamura, & Tsudzuki, ; Ma et al., ; Nishibori, Tsudzuki, Hayashi, Yamamoto, & Yasue, ; Ono et al., ; Parker et al., ; Tsudzuki, , ; Wells, Parker, Kiess, & McDaniel, ).…”