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.
2006
Volume 9
Issue 2
Topic:
Veterinary Medicine
ELECTRONIC
JOURNAL OF
POLISH
AGRICULTURAL
UNIVERSITIES
Wustinger J. , Ja¶ko D. , Dróżdż D. , Basińska M. , Pospieszny N. 2006. MUSCLES OF THORACIC LIMB OF AFRICAN OSTRICH (Struthio camelus L.), EJPAU 9(2), #03.
Available Online: http://www.ejpau.media.pl/volume9/issue2/art-03.html

MUSCLES OF THORACIC LIMB OF AFRICAN OSTRICH (STRUTHIO CAMELUS L.)

Jerzy Wustinger1, Dorota Ja¶ko2, Dorota Dróżdż2, Malwina Basińska2, Norbert Pospieszny3
1 Institute of Anatomy and Histology, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Poland
2 Department of Veterinary Anatomy and Histology, Agricultural University of Wrocław, Poland
3 Department of Biostructure and Animal Physiology, Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Poland

 

ABSTRACT

The objective of the study was to analyze the wing musculature of the African ostrich. The investigation was conducted on four three-day old chicks of the ostrich. The muscles were characterized by poor development due to a very young age, and no flight abilities.

The basic muscle units were described, the measurements of their length and width were taken and their mutual relation was calculated. All values were collected in a table. The photographic documentation was also prepared.

Key words: ostrich, muscles, wing.

INTRODUCTION

The African ostrich is a species more and more commonly used in breeding. At the same time, there is no professional literature on its musculature. Publications concerning ostriches and other flightless birds appear sporadically. The object of the study was constituted by wing muscles, strongly involuted for the reason of highly advanced reduction of patagium and, as a result, of all muscle units related to it directly or indirectly. Additionally, the observed involution was related to a very young age of the chicks, whose individual sub-units of the described muscles were not yet developed. Only one original research paper by Fowler [2] was found in the available literature as well as a general description of the ostrich by Horbańczuk [3] and general data concerning the avian anatomy by Komarek et al. [4] and Schummer [5]. The Polish anatomical nomenclature according to Kobryń et al. [6] was applied in this study.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

The investigations were conducted on four three-day old chicks fixed in 4% solution of formic aldehyde. The wings were subject to anatomical preparation with the use of a magnifying glass (10x). An electronic slide caliper was used for morphometric measurements. Each measurement was taken three times and its mean value was calculated.

EXAMINATION RESULTS

The following muscle groups were distinguished and described:

  1. Wing elevators:

  1. Wing downward-shifting muscles:

  1. Breathing adjunctive muscles:

  1. Patagium stretching muscles:

  1. Humeral joint flexors:

  1. Elbow joint extensors:

  1. Elbow joint flexors:

  1. Wrist joint extensors:

  1. Wrist joint flexors:

  1. Digit extensors:

  1. Flexors of digit II:

  1. Wing abductors (of digit II):

  1. Wing folding muscles (of digit II):

  1. Supinators:

  1. Pronators:

Fig. 1 a, b. Thoracic limb of the ostrich at dorsal side
1 – m. latissimus dorsi, 2 – m. triceps brachii (scapulotriceps), 3 – m. deltoideus, 4 – m. rhomboideus superficialis, 5 – m. extensor carpi radialis, 6 – m. supinator, 7 – m. extensor digitorum communis, 8 – m. extensor carpi ulnaris, 9 – m. extensor longus allulae 10 – m. interosseus dorsalis
a b

Fig. 2 a, b. Thoracic limb of the ostrich at abdominal side
1 – m. rhomboideus superficialis, 2 – m. latissimus dorsi, 3 – m. serratus superficialis, 4 – m. biceps brachii, 5 – m. brachialis, 6 – m. pronator superficialis, 7 – m. pronator profundus, 8 – m. flexor carpi radialis, 9 – m. flexor digitorum profundus, 10 – m. interosseus ventralis
a b

Morphometry:

1) muscle length – from initial attachment to terminal attachment
2) muscle width – widest place of muscle belly
3) length to width ratio

Table 1. Morphometry of thoracic limb muscles of African ostrich

Name of muscle:

Length:

Width:

Length to width ratio:

m. latissimus dorsi

50.67

9.93

5.10

m. coracobrachialis

7.05

6.31

1.12

m. rhomboideus superficialis

34.33

18.17

1.90

m. serratus superficialis

18.52

5.75

3.22

m. serratus profundus

14.10

4.07

3.46

m. deltoideus

43.52

5.57

7.81

m. humerotriceps

18.80

1.21

1.54

m. scapulotriceps

42.72

1.81

23.60

m. biceps brachii

42.10

1.37

30.73

m. brachialis

4.83

1.9

2.54

m. extensor carpi radialis

14.35

2.15

6.67

m. extensor carpi ulnaris

15.14

2.40

6.31

m. flexor carpi ulnaris

14.08

2.14

6.58

m. extensor digitorum communis

13.01

0.90

14.45

m. interosseus dorsalis

11.43

0.90

12.70

m. flexor digitorum profundus

10.30

1.25

8.24

m. interosseus dorsalis

11.43

0.90

12.70

m. abductor allulae

4.31

2.02

2.13

m. extensor longus allulae

5.27

0.79

6.67

m. supinator

7.27

1.36

5.35

m. pronator superficialis

9.77

1.98

4.93

m. pronator profundus

4.89

1.46

3.35


DISCUSSION

A distinct involution of muscles was observed during the analysis of the ostrich wing musculature. This was a result of two aspects: reduction of patagium and the age of the chicks. However, it is difficult to define their influence on the degree of involution in a univocal way on the basis of the preparatory material. In order to do this, it is necessary to compare the musculature of the chicks and adult individuals. This will certainly become the object of future studies.

Data concerning the ostrich wing musculature are very sparse as can be observed on the basis of the review of literature. The literature [2, 3] did not include important information on the musculature of the African ostrich. As results from table 1, these muscles are very thin in relation to their length, which indicates an early stage of development.

Baumel [1] reports that we deal with superficial and deep serrate muscle (musculus serratus superficialis et profundus), while Schummer [5] states that this is a superficial abdominal serrate muscle and a deep serrate muscle (musculus serratus ventralis supeficialis et musculus serratus profundus). The triceps brachial muscle (musculus triceps brachii), according to Baumel [1], has three sub-units: scapular – triceps muscle (musculus scapulotriceps), humeral – triceps muscle (humerotriceps) and coracotriceps muscle (coracotriceps), while Komarek et al. [4] provide a division into a long head and humeral head (caput longum et caput humerale).

At this stage, the investigation did not show the presence of coracotriceps part (pars coracotriceps). The subsequent muscles that the authors were not able to distinguish were the following: superficial digit flexor muscle (musculus flexor digitorum superficialis) and deep rhomboid muscle (musculus rhomboideus profundus).

CONCLUSIONS

  1. Due to the lack of patagium (patagium), many sub-units of particular muscles are not present.

  2. It is possible to distinguish the main muscles, but it is difficult to show the parts they divide into.

  3. The ostrich, as a representative of ratite birds and in comparison to household birds, shows a significant reduction of thoracic muscles constituting the main musculature mass of the thoracic limb in Carinatae.

  4. The reduction concerns both the structure and number of the occurring muscle units.

  5. In spite of belonging to Ratites, the ostrich has traces of anatomical structures related to flight (metapatagium i postpatagium)


REFERENCES

  1. Baumel J.J., 1993. Handbook of Avian anatomy Nomina Anatomica Avium. Cambridge Massachusetts.

  2. Fowler M.E., 1991. Comparative clinical anatomy of ratites. Jour of Zoo of Wildlife Med. 22: 204-227.

  3. Horbańczuk J.O., 2001. Strusie. [Ostriches.]. Warszawa. Zakład Wydawniczo-Reprodukcyjny Auto-Graf Sp.z.o.o. [in Polish].

  4. Komarek V., Malinovsky L., Lemez L., 1982. Anatomia avium domesticarum et embryologia galli. Priroda, Vydavatel’stvo Knih A Casopisov, Bratislava.

  5. Nickel R., Schummer A., Seiferle E. 1973. Lehrbuch der Anatomie der Haustiere [Physiology of domestic animals] Bd. V. Anatomie der Hausvogel. P. Parey Verlag in Berlin [in Germany].

  6. Kobryń H., Kobryńczuk F., 2004. Anatomia zwierząt T. III. [Animal Anatomy] Vol. III; PWN Warszawa [in Polish].


Jerzy Wustinger
Institute of Anatomy and Histology,
Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Poland
Kożuchowska 1-3; 51-631 Wrocław, Poland
phone: +48+71 32 05 746
email: jotwu@gen.ar.wroc.pl

Dorota Ja¶ko
Department of Veterinary Anatomy and Histology,
Agricultural University of Wrocław, Poland
Kożuchowska 1-3; 51-631 Wrocław, Poland

Dorota Dróżdż
Department of Veterinary Anatomy and Histology,
Agricultural University of Wrocław, Poland
Kożuchowska 1-3; 51-631 Wrocław, Poland

Malwina Basińska
Department of Veterinary Anatomy and Histology,
Agricultural University of Wrocław, Poland
Kożuchowska 1-3; 51-631 Wrocław

Norbert Pospieszny
Department of Biostructure and Animal Physiology,
Wrocław University of Environmental and Life Sciences, Poland
Kożuchowska 1/3, 51-631 Wrocław, Poland

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