Anatomy and histochemistry of spread-wing posture in birds. I. Wing drying posture in the double-crested cormorant,Phalacrocorax auritus

Meyers, Ron A.

doi:10.1002/(sici)1097-4687(199707)233:1<67::aid-jmor6>3.0.co;2-l

Cited by 14 publications

(7 citation statements)

References 33 publications

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“…Additional sections of each muscle were reacted with ALD58 (University of Iowa Hybridoma Bank), an enzyme binding to slow myosin heavy chains. Because ALD58 identifies both slow twitch and slow tonic fibers in birds (Meyers, 1997), we could not discriminate between the two fiber types; we refer to both collectively as slow muscle fibers. Reactions were also carried out with MY32 (Sigma Chemical, St. Louis, MO) to identify fast twitch fibers.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Anatomy and histochemistry of hindlimb flight posture in birds. I. The extended hindlimb posture of shorebirds

McFarland

Meyers

2008

Journal of Morphology

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Birds utilize one of two hindlimb postures during flight: an extended posture (with the hip and knee joints flexed, while the ankle joint is extended caudally) or a flexed posture (with the hip, knee, and ankle joints flexed beneath the body). American Avocets (Recurvirostra americana) and Black-necked Stilts (Himantopus mexicanus) extend their legs caudally during flight and support them for extended periods. Slow tonic and slow twitch muscle fibers are typically found in muscles functioning in postural support due to the fatigue resistance of these fibers. We hypothesized that a set of small muscles composed of high percentages of slow fibers and thus dedicated to postural support would function in securing the legs in the extended posture during flight. This study examined the anatomy and histochemical profile of eleven hindlimb muscles to gain insight into their functional roles during flight. Contrary to our hypothesis, all muscles possessed both fast twitch and slow twitch or slow tonic fibers. We believe this finding is due to the versatility of dynamic and postural functions the leg muscles must facilitate, including standing, walking, running, swimming, and hindlimb support during flight. Whether birds use an extended or flexed hindlimb flight posture may be related to the aerodynamic effect of leg position or may reflect evolutionary history.

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Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Anatomy and histochemistry of hindlimb flight posture in birds. I. The extended hindlimb posture of shorebirds

McFarland

Meyers

2008

Journal of Morphology

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“…Although Rosser and George () reported about seven and eight per cent slow fibres in the deepest fasciculi of Red‐tailed Hawks and Double‐crested Cormorants, respectively, no slow fibres were found in that region of those species by Corvidae et al . () or Meyers (). This discrepancy may have resulted from the various investigators not looking at equivalent regions of the same muscles or as a result of individual variation.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Anatomy and histochemistry of spread‐wing posture in birds. 4. Eagles soar with fast, not slow muscle fibres

Meyers

McFarland

2015

Acta Zoologica

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Slow fibers are typically characterized as functioning in avian postural behaviors such as soaring flight, and are described for a number of elite soarers such as vultures, pelicans and albatrosses. Golden Eagles and Bald Eagles also display soaring behavior and we examined their flight muscles for the presence of slow fibers. Surprisingly, eagles lack a deep layer to the pectoralis found in other soaring species. Additionally, the pectoralis as well as other shoulder muscles had few to no slow muscle fibers. The lack of functionally meaningful numbers of slow muscle fibers in eagle flight muscles indicates that they must rely on fast fibers for posture; these can function in that role due to their high aerobic capacity and also perhaps a “tuning” of muscle contraction frequency to function more efficiently at isometric contractions.

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“…We calculated the percentage of mass and CSA for each ‘upstroke’, ‘downstroke’, and ‘stabilizing’ functional group based on the sum‐total wing muscles included in these groups. Upstroke muscles also assist in maintaining the spread wing posture (Meyers , ; Meyers and Mathias ). Likewise, we computed the percentages for each ‘walking’ and ‘grasping’ functional group based on the sum‐total hindlimb muscles included in these groups.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“… 1 Dial ; 2 Berg Robertson and Biewener ; 3 Kovacs and Meyers ; 4 Woolley ; 5 Dial et al . ; 6 Meyers ; 7 Carr et al . ; 8 Higham and Biewener ; 9 Raikow ; 10 Rowe ; 11 Ellerby and Marsh ; 12 Hutchinson ; 13 Higham et al .…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Wing and hindlimb myology of vultures and raptors (Accipitriformes) in relation to locomotion and foraging

2014

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Herein, we compare functional muscle properties among convergent forms of large, obligate avian scavengers. We performed quantitative analyses of all the muscle masses and cross‐sectional areas (CSA) of the wings and hindlimbs of five species from two families, Cathartidae (New World vultures; Cathartes aura and Vultur gryphus) and Accipitridae (Old World vultures and raptors; Gyps africanus, Aquila rapax, and Buteo lineatus). These species comprise two paraphyletic functional groups, raptors (Aquila and Buteo) and vultures (Gyps, Cathartes, and Vultur). Our ordination analyses based on all of the muscles of the wings, hindlimbs, and wing and hindlimb muscles combined produced patterns that appeared to be more related to phylogeny, with a hint of a functional signal in wing muscle CSA. However, when wing muscles were grouped according to their functional roles (upstroke, downstroke, and wing stabilization), the percentages of mass and CSA allocated to the upstroke and stabilizing muscles were 1.4–5% greater in the vultures than in the raptors. Conversely, when hindlimb muscles were grouped according to their roles in grasping and terrestrial locomotion, the percentages of mass and CSA allocated to grasping muscles were 5.9–14% greater in the raptors. Our results provide a baseline for future lines of inquiry aimed at understanding how muscle mass and CSA are affected differentially across locomotor modules, possibly in response to differential demands on wing and hindlimb function experienced by these disparate accipitriform clades.

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Anatomy and histochemistry of spread-wing posture in birds. I. Wing drying posture in the double-crested cormorant,Phalacrocorax auritus

Cited by 14 publications

References 33 publications

Anatomy and histochemistry of hindlimb flight posture in birds. I. The extended hindlimb posture of shorebirds

Anatomy and histochemistry of hindlimb flight posture in birds. I. The extended hindlimb posture of shorebirds

Anatomy and histochemistry of spread‐wing posture in birds. 4. Eagles soar with fast, not slow muscle fibres

Wing and hindlimb myology of vultures and raptors (Accipitriformes) in relation to locomotion and foraging

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