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 Akademii Rolniczej we Wroclawiu, ISSN 1505-0297

Działa-Szczepańczyk E. , Betlejewska K. 2003. MORPHOLOGY AND MORPHOMETRY OF CAECA IN THE BLACK SCOTER MELANITTA NIGRA, EJPAU 6(2), #07.
Available Online: http://www.ejpau.media.pl/volume6/issue2/biology/abs-07.html

ABSTRACT

The subject of the research was caeca of 52 individuals of the Black Scoter Melanitta nigra – 32 males (5 young and 27 adult ones) and 20 females (11 young and 9 adult ones). The analysis comprised the relations among the values of four measurements of caeca (length – CLL and weight – CLW of left caecum, length – CRL and weight – CRW of right caecum) and the values of three body parameters (body length BL and weight BW – and sternum length) taking into consideration the birds’ ages and sexes. Ontogenetic differences in caeca sizes were revealed – young individuals of both sexes had longer caeca than adult individuals. Moreover, young females had heavier caeca than adult individuals of this sex. However, no significant dimorphic differences in the analysed parameters of caeca were noticed. Definite majority of black scoters had longer (47 individuals) and heavier (29 individuals) left caeca than the right caeca. The fluctuating asymmetry coefficient of caeca for the studied group of b

Key words: caeca, morphology, Black Scoter Melanitta nigra..

---