The eggs of the apple snail Pomacea maculata are defended by indigestible polysaccharides and toxic proteins

This study characterized ∼99% of egg composition and identified multiple potential defenses, provided not only by proteins but also by polysaccharides. This is the first evidence to our knowledge that reserve sugars may be involved in defenses, giving further insight into the unusual reproductive strategy of these well-defended snail eggs.
Source: Canadian Journal of Zoology - Category: Zoology Authors: Source Type: research