Electronic Journal of Polish Agricultural Universities (EJPAU) founded by all Polish Agriculture Universities presents original papers and review articles relevant to all aspects of agricultural sciences. It is target for persons working both in science and industry,regulatory agencies or teaching in agricultural sector. Covered by IFIS Publishing (Food Science and Technology Abstracts), ELSEVIER Science - Food Science and Technology Program, CAS USA (Chemical Abstracts), CABI Publishing UK and ALPSP (Association of Learned and Professional Society Publisher - full membership). Presented in the Master List of Thomson ISI.

Copyright © Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Przyrodniczego we Wrocławiu, ISSN 1505-0297

Pierko M. 2008. SIZE OF THE UPPER RESPIRATORY TRACT WITH REFERENCE TO THE BODY IN SCAUP Aythya marila, EJPAU 11(4), #34.
Available Online: http://www.ejpau.media.pl/volume11/issue4/abs-34.html

ABSTRACT

This work aims at the characteristics of the absolute
and relative sizes of the particular parts of upper respiratory tract and the
body sizes in Aythya marila (total 65 specimens). The specific attachment
was identified as well as the sex, age, and the parameters of the body (BW, BL,
SL, TL) and the upper respiratory tract sizes (WT, WS, LT, LRL, LS, SW1, SW2,
NCT, CSAF, CSAL, CSAR, CSAT, WT+WS). The ontogenetic and dimorphic comparisons
were conducted. The statistical elaboration comprised , SD, V, coefficients of
Pearson linear correlation (r), indexes characterizing the relative size of various
parts of the upper respiratory tract. The comparisons of the absolute parameters
and the assessed relative indexes between the age groups and the sexes within
the species, were based on the t-Student test. The description of the relative
size of the examined respiratory tract and its parts employed allometric equations
of the logarithm form Log Y = b log X – a. Within the range of the analyzed absolute
parameters the significant ontogenetic differences were solely observed for SL
and WS in drakes. The males in both age groups also differed statistically significantly
from the respective female age groups in regard to BL and nearly all parameters
of the upper respiratory tract except NCT, provided the values of those parameters
were higher in males as compared to females. Merely a few cases of statistically
significant correlations between parameters were noted in all examined groups.
Four relative indexes were assessed and solely for the adult males, ie. WT/BW,
WS/WT, LS/BL and LS/SW2, provided LS/WS2 had the highest value while WT/BW the
lowest. For the examined group of Aythya marila three allometric equations
were calculated for the relations BW and WT. Those equations were calculated
separately for the females, the males and the entire group of that species. The
results indicate that in both the male and the female groups, the relative parameter
WT increases slower with the age than BW because the exponent b representing
the linear regression slope is lower than 1.0. However, the converse tendency
was indicated for the entire specific group.

Key words: Aythya marila, larynx, trachea, syrinx, bronchi primarii.

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Małgorzata Pierko
Department of Zoology,
West Pomeranian University of Technology, Szczecin, Poland
Doktora Judyma 20, 71-466 Szczecin, Poland
Phone: 091 449 67 30
email: malgorzata.pierko@zut.edu.pl

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Responses to this article, comments are invited and should be submitted within three months of the publication of the article. If accepted for publication, they will be published in the chapter headed 'Discussions' and hyperlinked to the article.

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