Chinavia erythrocnemis, Chinavia longicorialis, Chinavia obstinata, and Chinavia pengue

(Figs. 2–4, 37–67; Tab. 2)

Eggs barrel-shaped; operculum circular and convex; chorion surface reticulated, light brown (Figs. 2–4). Chorion surface was erroneously described as white-translucent and granular in C. obstinata (Matesco et al. 2003); in fact, a light brown color of the eggs is due to a pigmented chorion, and its sculpture fits the reticulated pattern described by Bundy & McPherson (2000). Aero-micropylar processes white, clavate at apex. With the development of embryo, red eyes, and dark brown ruptor ovis become visible (Fig. 2). Ruptor ovis triangular, translucent, dark brown at the base and along the median line (Matesco et al. 2003, 2006, 2007, 2008b).

Egg surface, in SEM, in a reticulated sculpture pattern (Figs. 37, 38, 47, 48, 54, 59, 60), with polygonal, often hexagonal, cells (Figs. 39, 40, 61). In C. longicorialis, chorion has shallow polygonal cells, with slightly defined contour (Fig. 49). Those cells projected inward in a funnel, which seems to bear a hole (Figs. 41, 44, 52). Lateral walls of egg with more or less regular cells (Figs. 39, 40, 49, 61, 62); at oval area where eggs are fixed to each other in the egg mass or to the substratum sculpture pattern is altered (Figs. 37, 47, 59).

Near aero-micropylar processes, polygonal cells smaller and deeper, with irregularly projected rims (Figs. 42, 50, 55, 63). The eclosion line, within the ring of aero-micropylar processes, is well delimited, devoid of depressions, and marked by a wrinkled area with dense capillary projections (Figs. 42, 50, 56). At the operculum, polygonal cells are smaller, deeper, and less delimited (Figs. 43, 51, 57, 64); sometimes seeming to bear a hole (Figs. 44, 52). In C. pengue, cells at lateral wall of the egg (Fig. 62) as well as at the operculum (Fig. 65) have a blind bottom.

Aero-micropylar processes clavated, with a stalk that decreases in diameter toward the base, and a bulbous apical part, which bears an apical opening (Figs. 45, 50, 53, 56, 63, 67). Aero-micropylar processes surface in a spongy texture (Figs. 46, 53, 58, 67). In C. pengue, fine connector sheets were found among adjacent aero-micropylar processes or between the process and adjacent area of the anterior pole (Figs. 63, 66, 67).