
Originally Posted by
marnixR

Originally Posted by
Paleoichneum
And no, there still isnt any evidence of notable selective pressures from egg predation
but in general we should be able to establish the effect of egg predation on the reproduction strategies of current egg-laying species ?
I lack a decisive answer. Pong's hypothesis is more broadly "offspring predation" to which hard eggs are just one solution - live birth being yet another.
"To establish the effect of egg predation on the reproduction strategies of current egg-laying species" ... I'm thinking about clownfish. One could say a resistance to anemone sting is an adaptation of the
adult clownfish, simply for the survival of the
adult clownfish. But in line with my hypothesis, we should say the adaptation is "mostly for" keeping eggs and young in the safety of anenomes; the adult's survival being less important. This is kinda like saying flighted dinosaurs were mostly doing it to nest in safe locations; advantages of flight to the adult being secondary. I think that is demonstrated by the majority of birds, where normal activity does not require flight, but they use flight to crucial advantage where seasonal and protected
nesting is concerned.
Alternately we could go back in time and look at why reptiles happened in the first place. If I'm not mistaken the original advantage was eggs that didn't dry out, so they could be deposited in relative safety, then, on land. Later (compare wings) the opportunity to live as a dedicated terrestrial proved fruitful. This of course would lead to a resurgence in offspring predation... but that's how it goes, I think.

Originally Posted by
Paleoichneum
(after the event) In many places Birds did dominate for a while, but the mammals were faster at reproducing.
Why faster? I think you're saying mammals reach sexual maturity earlier, so evolve faster...? IDK... modern fowl and mammals of comparable size breed at about the same age. Besides at the smaller sizes most are constrained to breed no sooner than next summer.