Egg development Re: DTWG: yet another question

Thanks for the replies and patience with my limitations. Regarding the strict biology aspects, I’m still very much on the learning curve, still learning the proper scientific terms, trying to gather/follow up on observations, doubts and theories from all angles/sources, taking it all in, and processing it. However, if eggs salvaged from dead females (prior to natural oviposition) are viable, as demonstrated by Roger Wood’s work, then there is still room for discovery and/or doubt. Possibly the reverse may occur in extreme conditions, such as drought, triggered by higher salinity, maybe? Therefore, despite the lack of sufficient O2 in situ, under some conditions, the eggs may proceed beyond gastrula while within the oviduct. The function of this mechanism may be to reduce the time of embryo development which typically occurs in the nest. It would be particularly clever or necessary for this species to minimize time in the nest in drought years, don’t you think? This has been a bad drought year in Maryland, but temps were typical. I did not record temps, but the container of eggs was kept in outside, screened-in conditions, exposed to natural temp and moisture fluctuations, very similar to the original nest site. I’ll respond more on the prolapsed cloacae issue later. Many thanks.