What appendage does the female yabby use to actively clean and oxygenate her eggs?

Answer

Fifth pair of walking legs

Maternal investment in the yabby reproductive cycle requires significant physiological effort beyond simply carrying the eggs. Female yabbies carry clutches that can exceed one thousand eggs, attached to the specialized appendages called swimmerets beneath the abdomen, forming a brood chamber. To ensure the viability of these developing embryos over the multi-week incubation period, the mother must actively maintain the microenvironment. This maintenance specifically involves using her fifth pair of walking legs to constantly groom the egg mass. This action serves to remove any dead eggs, foreign particles, or potential fungal growth, while simultaneously creating water currents that ensure a continuous supply of dissolved oxygen is brought into direct contact with the eggs, necessitating robust circulatory support for this high-energy task.

What appendage does the female yabby use to actively clean and oxygenate her eggs?

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