A Morphometric Study on the Skull of the Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo)

Abstract

In this study, 80 turkey skulls (40 females and 40 males) were used. Turkeys slaughtered at the age of 128 days. The females had an average weight of 11.5 kg and the males had 19 kg. We measured 14 features and determined 6 indices on the skulls of turkeys. Our study focused on morphometric differences and comparison of determined features of those skulls for males and female turkeys. Correlations between all features and indices of the skulls were examined for each male and female group, separately. All morphometric measurements were significantly higher in male group. All indices except skull index and foramen magnum index were significantly higher in female group. These measurements showed that males have bigger skulls. Cranial index, facial index, index 1 and index 2 showed that males have narrower and longer skulls while the females have smaller and wider. According to foramen magnum index, foramen magnum of turkeys is slightly vertical oval.Also, ratio of skull length and width is similar for both sexes. This study is the morphometric evaluation of the skull in turkeys. Therefore, this study will lead to further studies on turkeys and other bird species.

Morphometric and Radiographic Characteristics of the Skull in Crested Serpent Eagle (Spilornis cheela) and Brown Wood Owl (Strix leptogrammica)

“…All the parts of occipital bone were surrounded by a rounded foramen magnum in crested serpent eagle however, the foramen magnum was triangular in chickens (McLelland, 1990). The foramen magnum was vertical oval in brown wood owl as also reported in turkeys (Süzer et al, 2018).…”

Histological and histochemical studies of the esophagus and stomach in two types of birds with different feeding behaviors

“…All birds are adapted to their different environments with respect to food sources, the seashore, ponds, small rivers, fields, or mountains. Reflecting their different life styles, birds have different feeding habits, with corresponding differences in the structures of their digestive canal (1) . The avian alimentary canal has undergone a physiological structure in apposite to other animals to accommodate physical and chemical features of a wide variety of food types (2) , and requirements for flight (3) .…”

Sexual analysis in turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) neurocranium using geometric morphometric methods

“…The conditions of the points determined in this study in comparison with each other were determined in the coordinate system, and the differences were revealed. In a normal morphometric study, it was reported that all of the measurements in the turkey skull were greater in males than in females [4].…”

“…The morphological and morphometric studies of skull in poultry are presented in the references. The differences between males and females have been revealed statistically through morphometric measurements in a study conducted with turkeys [4]. In another study, the differences between guinea fowl and turkey have been revealed by using the neurocrania of these 2 species [5].…”