Alligator osteoderms as a source of labile calcium for eggshell formation

The calcium ( C a) demand on alligators in active reproduction is significant, yet the source of this additional C a is unclear. Three possible sources for C a mobilization are endolymphatic deposits, as in anurans and some lizards; short‐lived skeletal medullary bone or analogous deposits, as in birds; or some other source such as the osteoderm layer of the integument or simply mobilization of structural bone. Here, we investigate possible...