A new prey‐detection mechanism for kiwi (<i>Apteryx</i> spp.) suggests convergent evolution between paleognathous and neognathous birds

Cunningham, Susan J.; Castro, Isabel; Alley, M.R.

doi:10.1111/j.1469-7580.2007.00786.x

Cited by 54 publications

(78 citation statements)

References 23 publications

(43 reference statements)

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“…The largest olfactory bulbs are found in Apteryx, carrion feeders such as vultures, and seabirds (Stager 1967;Pearson 1972;Cunningham et al 2007;Corfield et al 2008). The relatively large olfactory lobes of Halcyornis suggest that this species had a reasonable reliance on its sense of smell.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Halcyornis toliapicus(Aves: Lower Eocene, England) indicates advanced neuromorphology in Mesozoic Neornithes

Walsh

Milner

2011

Journal of Systematic Palaeontology

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Our recent X-ray micro computer-tomographic (µCT) investigations of Prophaethon shrubsolei and Odontopteryx toliapica from the Lower Eocene London Clay Formation of England revealed the avian brain to have been essentially modern in form by 55 Ma, but that an important vision-related synapomorphy of living birds, the eminentia sagittalis of the telencephalon, was poorly developed. This evidence suggested that the feature probably appeared close to the end of the Mesozoic. Here we use µCT analysis to describe the endocranium of Halcyornis toliapicus, also from the London Clay Formation. The affinities of Halcyornis have been hotly debated, with the taxon referred to the Charadriiformes (Laridae), Coraciiformes (Alcedinidae, and its own family Halcyornithidae) and most recently that Halcyornithidae may be a possible senior synonym of Pseudasturidae (Pan-Psittaciformes). Unlike Prophaethon and Odontopteryx, the eminentia sagittalis of Halcyornis is strongly developed and comparable to that of living species. Like those London Clay taxa, the eminentia sagittalis occupies a rostral position on the telencephalon. The senses of Halcyornis appear to have been well developed. The length of the cochlear duct of the inner ear indicates a hearing sensitivity within the upper range of living species, and enlarged olfactory lobes suggest a reasonable reliance on sense of smell. The optic nerves were especially well developed which, together with the strong development of the eminentia sagittalis, indicates a high degree of visual specialization in Halcyornis. The advanced development of the eminentia sagittalis further supports a Mesozoic age for the appearance of this structure and associated neural architectural complexity found in extant Aves. The eminentia sagittalis of living Psittaciformes is situated caudally on the telencephalon, making a Pan-Psittaciformes relationship unlikely for Halcyornis.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Halcyornis toliapicus(Aves: Lower Eocene, England) indicates advanced neuromorphology in Mesozoic Neornithes

Walsh

Milner

2011

Journal of Systematic Palaeontology

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“…Recent research has demonstrated that kiwi detect their buried prey using vibration-and pressure-sensitive mechanoreceptors embedded in pits in the bill tip. It is believed that these specialised structures function as a detector of movement of invertebrates during feeding (Cunningham et al 2007). Olfaction is thought to play a minor role in prey detection but an important role in social and territorial behaviour.…”

Section: 2 B I L L I N J U R I E Smentioning

confidence: 99%

Isolation and Identification ofAspergillusspp. from Brown Kiwi (Apteryx mantelli) Nocturnal Houses in New Zealand

et al. 2014

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“…Recently, Cunningham et al [2007] found that kiwis (Apteryx spp.) have a large number of sensory pits in the tip of the beak and the number of Herbst corpuscles per pit was similar to beak-probing shorebirds.…”

Section: Feeding Mechanism and Prv Hypertrophymentioning

confidence: 99%

The Independent Evolution of the Enlargement of the Principal Sensory Nucleus of the Trigeminal Nerve in Three Different Groups of Birds

Gutiérrez-Ibáñez

Iwaniuk

Wylie³

2009

Brain Behav Evol

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In vertebrates, sensory specializations are usually correlated with increases in the brain areas associated with that specialization. This correlation is called the ‘principle of proper mass’ whereby the size of a neural structure is a reflection of the complexity of the behavior that it subserves. In recent years, several comparative studies have revealed examples of this principle in the visual and auditory system of birds, but somatosensory specializations have largely been ignored. Many species rely heavily on tactile information during feeding. Input from the beak, tongue and face, conveyed via the trigeminal, facial, glossopharyngeal and hypoglossal nerves, is first processed in the brain by the principal sensory nucleus of the trigeminal nerve (PrV) in the brainstem. Previous studies report that PrV is enlarged in some species that rely heavily on tactile input when feeding, but no extensive comparative studies have been performed. In this study, we assessed the volume of PrV in 73 species of birds to present a detailed analysis of the relative size variation of PrV using both conventional and phylogenetically based statistics. Overall, our results indicate that three distinct groups of birds have a hypertrophied PrV: waterfowl (Anseriformes), beak-probing shorebirds (Charadriiformes), and parrots (Psittaciformes). These three groups have different sensory requirements from the orofacial region. For example, beak-probing shorebirds use pressure information from the tip of the beak to find buried prey in soft substrates, whereas waterfowl, especially filter-feeding ducks, use information from the beak, palate, and tongue when feeding. Parrots likely require increased sensitivity in the tongue to manipulate food items. Thus, despite all sharing an enlarged PrV and feeding behaviors dependent on tactile input, each group has different requirements that have led to the independent evolution of a large PrV.

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A new prey‐detection mechanism for kiwi (Apteryx spp.) suggests convergent evolution between paleognathous and neognathous birds

Cited by 54 publications

References 23 publications

Halcyornis toliapicus(Aves: Lower Eocene, England) indicates advanced neuromorphology in Mesozoic Neornithes

Halcyornis toliapicus(Aves: Lower Eocene, England) indicates advanced neuromorphology in Mesozoic Neornithes

Isolation and Identification ofAspergillusspp. from Brown Kiwi (Apteryx mantelli) Nocturnal Houses in New Zealand

The Independent Evolution of the Enlargement of the Principal Sensory Nucleus of the Trigeminal Nerve in Three Different Groups of Birds

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