Describing eggs that have yolk distributed unevenly throughout, resulting in unequal cell divisions during development.
From Greek hetero- (different) + lekithos (yolk), describing uneven yolk distribution in eggs. This term emerged in embryology to classify different egg types based on developmental patterns.
Bird and reptile eggs are heterolecithal—the yolk gathers at one end like a lopsided snow globe, which means cells divide at different rates and create the baby's head and body in a specific order!
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