In addition to birds, many representatives of amphibians and reptiles also lay eggs. All of them differ in structure and size, as well as in the incubation period. In our short review, we will present the largest eggs laid by birds, as well as some species of animals.
1
Epiornis
In Madagascar, a flightless bird inhabited, whose eggs continue to be found in different places of the island. It is called the bird Rukh, or the Big Elephant Bird, since they grew up to 3.5 m in height.
With this size, they laid truly gigantic eggs. Their volume was about 9 l, and in length they reached 30-35 cm.The diameter does not reach a little 1 m.
As a result of human hunting for Epiornisov, the last instance of a wonderful bird was killed in the second half of the 17th century.
2
Ostrich
Among the living, the ostrich lays the largest eggs. In length, they reach from 17 to 21 cm, and weigh almost 2 kg. In addition, they are very durable, because the shell thickness is 6 mm.
Scientists have noticed that the number of eggs in a clutch depends on the habitat of ostriches. The largest ostriches are deposited in eastern Africa, and in the north of the continent there are no more than 15-20 pieces in the clutch.
An ostrich egg hit the pages of the Guinness Book of Records. In 2008, a farm weighing 2.589 kg was found on a farm in Sweden.
3
Kiwi
Considering the size in relation to weight, the largest are Kiwi. Their weight is 450 g, and this is 26% of the weight of the female. Comparing with a man, it would be if a woman immediately gave birth to a child of 6 years.
During gestation, the Kiwi female eats a lot, but 3 days before laying it ceases to eat, since the egg inside takes up a lot of space. Kiwi is also a record holder for yolk content, which is 65%. The remaining birds have only 35-40%.
It is noteworthy that the male hatches the offspring, and the incubation period lasts from 75 to 85 days. The male goes away only to eat, and then the female sits on the masonry.
4
A hen
Chicken egg is widely used in cooking, but champions are also found among them. Farmers from Germany, the wife of Meine, at their poultry farm found an egg weighing 209 grams.
This is the largest specimen ever recorded in Europe. Spouses Maine said they themselves were surprised, because they did not use any special technologies.
But the largest chicken egg, which is listed in the Guinness Book, was discovered in the United States in 1956. The weight of the champion was equal to 454 grams.
By the way, on our site thebiggest.ru there is an interesting article about the largest birds in the world.
5
Dinosaurs
A large clutch of extinct dinosaurs was discovered in 2010 by a shepherd in the Volgograd region. In one of the ravines near the village of Wet Olkhovka, he found several eggs.
Archaeologists unearthed 14 fossilized specimens, the size of which reached 1.2 m. Today, these are the largest eggs of the ancient dinosaurs ever discovered on the planet.
But the very first specimens in the history of paleontology were found in 1859 in France. They belonged to a gypselosaurus, and sizes reached from 15 cm to 1 m.
6
Combed crocodile
Dinosaurs became extinct, but among the reptiles, the largest eggs are crested crocodiles. Compared to others, they are not so great, but among the reptiles, they are simply huge.
In length, they reach 8 cm, and in diameter almost 5 cm. They weigh from 110 to 120 g. The shell is not very strong, because the female bury them in the sand to a depth of 50 cm so that they do not dry in the sun.
For one clutch, the female of the largest reptile on earth lays 30 to 90 eggs.
7
Whale shark
Among the fishes, the whale shark takes precedence, but the egg develops inside the largest predator.
The baby hatches from the shell in the womb, and is born alive. So this fish is ovoviviparous. At the beginning of the 20th century, a shark was caught off the coast of Ceylon, in the womb of which 16 egg capsules were found. But Japanese fishermen once got an undeveloped fruit that developed for 17 days in an aquarium, without food.
At one time, a whale shark can give birth to up to 300 small sharks that develop rapidly.
8
Chinese gigantic salamander
Among amphibians, the largest eggs are laid by the Chinese salamander. These amazing creatures live in the east of China, preferring to settle only in the clear water of alpine reservoirs.
For one laying, the female lays from 400 to 500 eggs. At this moment, they are no longer than 8 mm in length, but with time absorb moisture, growing up to 4 cm. For amphibians this is considered a rather large size.
The Chinese giant amphibian is on the verge of extinction, and therefore the hunt for them is strictly prohibited, and the Chinese authorities have adopted a number of laws to protect and increase the population.
9
Bruyne's Passage
To complete our list on thebiggest.ru, a primitive mammal that retains the ability to lay eggs. The passage, which is found only in New Guinea, received a species name in honor of the Dutch naturalist Attony Augustus Bruyne.
After mating, the female lays one egg, the length of which reaches 3 cm. Among mammals, this is an absolute record. Throughout the incubation period, the female carries an egg in a bag. After 10 days, the baby hatch, not more than 2.5 cm in length.
Within six months, the caring mother of the prokhidna feeds him milk until the baby is strong. The size of eggs directly depends on the size of the bird or animal.
Conclusion
In conclusion, we note that quail eggs are considered the most delicious. But the smallest are the smallest birds - hummingbirds. The size of their eggs does not exceed 6 mm in length.