Morphology of the syrinx of three species of birds from Brazilian cerrado (Psittacara leucophthalmus, Rhynchotus rufescens and Cariama cristata): Gross anatomy and light microscopy study.

The aim of this study was to describe the morphology of the trachea and syrinx at macroscopic and light microscopy levels of three species of birds from different orders that inhabit the Brazilian cerrado. For that, five adult specimens (three males and two females of each species) of white-eyed parakeet (Psittacara leucophthalmus), red-winged tinamou (Rhynchotus rufescens) and red-legged seriema (Cariama cristata) were used. The trachea and syrinx of the birds were collected and destined for anatomical and histological studies. The trachea of the studied birds presented an elongated path and originated in the larynx and extended caudally to the syrinx. No sexual dimorphism was observed in the syrinx of the studied species, probably because it is associated with their song, which is very similar between males and females of these species. The findings of this study allowed us to classify the syrinx as tracheal in the white-eyed parakeet and tracheobronchial in the red-winged tinamou and red-legged seriema. In general, the morphological features of the trachea and syrinx were similar to those described for other species of birds, such as the presence of intrinsic and extrinsic syringeal muscles, and the lateral and medial tympaniform membranes, which would represent important anatomical structures in sound production through vibration during expiration and eventual inspiration. The morphological structure of the syrinx in the three avian species of the Brazilian cerrado is consistent with the ability of these avian species to perform a potential vocalization, especially the red-legged seriema that emits characteristic sounds very loud and can carry several kilometres.

Character displacement of egg colors during tinamou speciation.

The divergence of reproductive traits frequently underpins the evolution of reproductive isolation. Here we investigated whether tinamou (Tinamidae) egg colorations function as mating signals that diverged as character displacement (mating signal character displacement hypothesis). We tested three evolutionary predictions behind the hypothesis: (a) egg colors coevolve with known mating signals; (b) signal divergence is associated with divergent habitat adaptation; and (c) sympatric tinamou species with similar songs have different egg colors as character displacement during speciation. We found support for all three predictions. In particular, egg colors coevolved with songs; songs and egg colors coevolved with habitat partitioning; and tinamou species that were likely sympatric with similar songs tended to have different egg colors. In conclusion, the mating signal character displacement hypothesis is well supported in which egg colors serve as mating signals that undergo character displacement during tinamou speciation.

Anesthesia and Anesthetic-Related Complications of 8 Elegant-Crested Tinamous (Eudromia elegans) Undergoing Experimental Surgery.

The aim of this study was to describe the anesthetic effects of an injectable anesthetic protocol, based on ketamine, midazolam, and medetomidine, followed by inhalational sevoflurane, in 8 elegant-crested tinamous (Eudromia elegans) undergoing experimental surgery. Initial doses for both injectable agents were tested in 1 bird and then refined with an algorithm based on the effects observed in the pilot procedure. Heart and respiratory rates, as well as nociceptive reflexes, were evaluated before anesthesia (baseline) and intraoperatively, at 10 minute intervals. The time from injection to anesthetic induction and surgical anesthesia, as well as the time from atipamezole injection to recovery, was recorded for each bird. The median doses of medetomidine and ketamine were 0.075 mg/kg and 33 mg/kg, respectively. Anesthetic induction was achieved within 10 (range, 4-45) minutes from intramuscular injection, whereas time to surgical anesthesia was 22 ±16 minutes. The baseline heart rate values were significantly higher than those measured intraoperatively at any time point (P = .001). Intraoperatively, 5 of 8 tinamous (63%) developed cardiac arrhythmias. Other encountered complications were regurgitation in 2 birds (25%), cardiac arrest in 1 bird (13%) soon after injection of the anesthetic agents, and prolonged recovery in another bird (13%), which was euthanized. Necropsy of the 2 fatal outcomes (25%) showed evidence of hepatic lipidosis in both (100%) and intramyocardial fat accumulation in 1 bird (50%). This report highlights the challenges of tinamou anesthesia. Cardiac complications are common in this species, and close monitoring of intraoperative cardiovascular variables is recommended for prompt recognition and treatment.

Huevos de tinamou (nothoprocta perdicaria): una nueva alternativa en Chile / Chilean tinamou eggs (nothoprocta perdicaria): a new alternative in Chile

El objetivo de esta revisión fue comparar algunas características nutricionales y de calidad de huevos de tinamou, con huevos de gallina y codorniz. Los huevos de tinamou contienen menos extracto etéreo y proteína en yema, y similar cantidad de proteínas en clara que huevos de gallina y codorniz. La clara del huevo de tinamou contiene más hierro (0,5 mg/100g) que huevos de gallina y codorniz (0,1-0,2 mg/100g). El ácido oleico es el principal ácido graso de la yema de huevos de tinamou, al igual que los otros. El contenido de colesterol en yema de huevo de tinamou (21,2 mg/g) es mayor a los rangos descritos en huevos de gallina (10,9-16,3 mg/g) y codorniz (11,1-15,9 mg/g). El huevo de tinamou tiene un aspecto físico distinto a huevos de gallina y codorniz, la cáscara es de color chocolate oscuro, pesa en promedio 35 g, sus dimensiones son de 50 x 36 mm, y tienen una unidad Haugh inferior a lo registrado para huevos de gallina y codorniz. El huevo de tinamou es una alternativa muy nutritiva como alimento, de características nutricionales similares a huevos de gallina y codorniz, a excepción de su mayor contenido de colesterol en yema y hierro en clara.

The objective of this review was to compare the nutritional characteristics and quality of tinamou eggs. Tinamou eggs have less ether extract and protein in the yolk, they also have a similar quantity of protein in the egg white than hen and quail eggs. The egg white of the tinamou egg has more iron (0,5 mg/100g) compared to hen and quail eggs (0,1-0,2 mg/100g). Oleic acid is the main fatty acid in all three types of eggs. On the other hand, the amount of cholesterol in the tinamou yolk (21,2 mg/g) is higher than the amounts described for hen eggs (10,9-16,3 mg/g) and those of quail (11,1-15,9 mg/g). In terms of the physical characteristics, the tinamou eggshell has a chocolate color, weighs an average of 35g, has a length about 50 x 36 mm and has an inferior Haugh unity than hen and quail eggs. The tinamou egg represents a high nutritive alternative with similar nutritional characteristics compared to hen and quail eggs, with the exception of cholesterol in the yolk and iron in the egg white.

New Avian Hepadnavirus in Palaeognathous Bird, Germany.

In 2015, we identified an avian hepatitis B virus associated with hepatitis in a group of captive elegant-crested tinamous (Eudromia elegans) in Germany. The full-length genome of this virus shares <76% sequence identity with other avihepadnaviruses. The virus may therefore be considered a new extant avian hepadnavirus.

The complete mitochondrial genome of the White-throated Tinamou, Tinamus guttatus (Tinamiformes, Tinamidae).

The White-throated Tinamou, Tinamus guttatus (Tinamiformes, Tinamidae) is a species of the family Tinamidae. Herein, we firstly reported the complete mitochondrial genome of White-throated Tinamou. The length of mitogenome was 16 750 bp, and composed of 13 protein-coding genes, 22 tRNA genes, 2 rRNA genes, and 1 putative misc-feature region. Most protein-coding genes started with a traditional ATG codon, but specially, COX1 and COX2 initiated with an infrequent start codon GTG instead, ND3 and ND5 initiated with ATA instead. Protein-coding genes terminated with the mitochondria stop codon (TAA/TAG/AGG/AGA) or a single base(A/T). The mitogenome structural organization was identical to the closely related species Tinamus major. The GC content was 42.66%. To verify the accuracy and utility of new determined mitogenome sequences, we constructed the species phylogenetic tree with the 12 protein-coding genes of Tinamus guttatus together with nine other closely species. We expected that using the full mitogenome to address taxonomic issues and study the related evolution events.

Analysing avian eggshell pigments with Raman spectroscopy.

Avian eggshells are variable in appearance, including coloration. Here, we demonstrate that Raman spectroscopy can provide accurate diagnostic information about major eggshell constituents, including the pigments biliverdin and protoporphyrin IX. Eggshells pigmented with biliverdin showed a series of pigment-diagnostic Raman peaks under 785 nm excitation. Eggshells pigmented with protoporphyrin IX showed strong emission under 1064 nm and 785 nm excitation, whereas resonance Raman spectra (351 nm excitation) showed a set of protoporphyrin IX informative peaks characteristic of protoporphyrin IX. As representative examples, we identified biliverdin in the olive green eggshells of elegant crested tinamous (Eudromia elegans) and in the blue eggshells of extinct upland moa (Megalapteryx didinus). This study encourages the wider use of Raman spectroscopy in pigment and coloration research and highlights the value of this technique for non-destructive analyses of museum eggshell specimens.

Cerebral and Ocular Ochroconiasis in 2 Elegant Crested Tinamou (Eudromia elegans) Chicks.

Two elegant crested tinamou chicks (Eudromia elegans), aged 27 and 50 days, respectively, died following acute onset of weakness and neurologic disease. Microscopically, the cerebral hemispheres of both chicks and the optic lobes of 1 chick contained multifocal granulomatous and heterophilic inflammation and necrosis with intralesional pigmented, thin-walled, fungal hyphae. In 1 chick, hyphae extended along the optic nerve into the globe and were associated with severe granulomatous and heterophilic inflammation of the choroid, retina, pecten, and vitreous. In both chicks, polymerase chain reaction amplification of the fungal 28S large subunit ribosomal RNA was positive with 99% sequence identity to Ochroconis gallopava. While a well-characterized fungal infection of domestic poultry, ochroconiasis has rarely been reported in exotic avian species, and this is the first histologic characterization of ocular ochroconiasis in any avian species.

A nanostructural basis for gloss of avian eggshells.

The role of pigments in generating the colour and maculation of birds' eggs is well characterized, whereas the effects of the eggshell's nanostructure on the visual appearance of eggs are little studied. Here, we examined the nanostructural basis of glossiness of tinamou eggs. Tinamou eggs are well known for their glossy appearance, but the underlying mechanism responsible for this optical effect is unclear. Using experimental manipulations in conjunction with angle-resolved spectrophotometry, scanning electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and chemical analyses, we show that the glossy appearance of tinamou eggshells is produced by an extremely smooth cuticle, composed of calcium carbonate, calcium phosphate and, potentially, organic compounds such as proteins and pigments. Optical calculations corroborate surface smoothness as the main factor producing gloss. Furthermore, we reveal the presence of weak iridescence on eggs of the great tinamou (Tinamus major), an optical effect never previously documented for bird eggs. These data highlight the need for further exploration into the nanostructural mechanisms for the production of colour and other optical effects of avian eggshells.

Análise espermática de perdizes (Rhynchotus rufescens) criadas em cativeiro e suplementadas com selênio / Semen evaluation of captive male red-winged tinamous (Rhynchotus rufescens) supplemented with selenium

Considerando a importância comercial da perdiz (Rhynchotus rufescens), implantaram-se algumas biotecnologias reprodutivas. Trinta animais, provenientes da FCAV-UNESP/Jaboticabal (2007-2008), foram aleatoriamente distribuídos em grupos: controle (sem selênio orgânico) e tratamento (com 0,2 a 0,8 mg de selênio em 1000 kg de ração ). Coletou-se sêmen por excitação manual, que foi aliquotado em pools com 150 μL. Mensuraram-se volume, motilidade, vigor, número de espermatozoides, concentração e morfologia espermáticas. Diluíram-se 20 μl de sêmen em 300 μl de solução fisiológica para testes complementares (Integridade das membranas acrossomal e plasmática). Contaram-se 200 células, por teste, e classificaram-nas: 1) Acrossomo Íntegro: cor lilás e Não-Íntegro: róseo; 2) Células Vivas (não coradas) e Mortas (coradas). Os dados foram analisados pelo SAS, System for Windows. Os resultados dos pools com e sem selênio foram: as variáveis volume, motilidade, vigor, número de espermatozoides, concentração, integridade acrossomal e integridade da membrana plasmática não apresentaram resultados significantes, porém encontrou-se uma menor porcentagem de espermatozoides com peça intermediária fortemente dobrada, nos animais tratados com selênio em relação aos não tratados (1,33 ± 0,53 vs. 3,78 ± 0,69, respectivamente; p = 0.0107). De fato, sabe-se que o selênio tem papel importante na estrutura dos espermatozoides20. A deficiência de selênio está associada com danos na arquitetura da peça intermediária do espermatozóide.

Due to the commercial importance of the red-winged tinamou (Rhynchotus rufescens), for the past few years, the employment of reproductive biotechnologies has been attempted. Thirty animals were randomly assigned into two groups: control group (no selenium) and treatment group (supplemented with 0,2 a 0,8 mg selenium/ 1000 kg ration). Animals were allocated at the FCAV – UNESP/Jaboticabal (2007-2008). Semen collections were performed by digital manipulation and divided in pools of at least 150 μL. After the immediate evaluation of motility, vigour, concentration and morphology, an aliquot of 20 μL was diluted in 300 μL of physiologic solution in order to test acrosome and membrane integrities, which were performed by counting 200 cells for each test. Cells were evaluated as follows: 1) Intact acrosome: lilac acrosome; Non-intact acrosome: pink acrosome; 2) Live cells: non stained; Dead: stained. Data was statistically analysed using the SAS System for Windows. No differences were found between treatment and control groups for volume, motility, vigour, mean number of spermatozoa per animal, concentration, Intact acrosome, Intact membrane. The difference found on midpiece sperm defect (Se = 1,33 ± 0,53 and control = 3,78 ± 0,69, p = 0.0107) may be due to the damages caused by the selenium deficiency to the architecture of the midpiece, which compromises sperm mobility and fertilization capacity.