Anatomy of the vascular system of the head and neck of the helmeted guineafowl Numida meleagris

Abstract

The vascular anatomy of the head and neck of eight adult helmeted guineafowl (Numida meleagris) was investigated by latex injections and dissection, resin casting, and lipidol injections and X‐ray photography. The vascular anatomy of these regions is similar to that of the domestic fowl Gallus domesticus, the main differences being in the helmet, wattle and cere vascularization, and the presence of a nape‐cheek rete in N. meleagris. It is postulated that five vascular arrangements in the head and neck are important in brain temperature regulation. These arrangements are: the nape‐cheek rete, the temporal rete, fine arteriovenous networks in the wattles and cere, and the cavernous sinus‐intercarotid association. All but the last of these arrangements require pathways of blood flow to the brain other than the most direct route. Such pathways are discussed.

A systematic study of the brain base arteries in the turkey (Meleagris gallopavo)

“…According to De Vriese (1905), the cerebral carotid artery divided itself beside the hypophysis into two branches, a large caliber rostral branch and a middle caliber caudal branch (Westpfahl 1961, Richards 1967, Crowe & Crowe 1979, Midtgard 1984, Campos 1987, Campos et al 1995, and the same was found in turkey. For Kitoh (1962), studying in Gallus, observed that the rostral and caudal branches had almost the same caliber.…”

“…The internal carotid arteries proceeded cranium--medially in the ventral median line of the neck running along the cervical carotid canal, and close to the base of the cranium each internal carotid artery projected the external carotid artery and the cerebral carotid artery. Crowe & Crowe (1979), in Helmeted guineafowl (Numida meleagris), observed that the common carotid arteries were divided into two equal branches, the internal and external carotid arteries. For these authors, the internal carotid artery was divided into two equal vessels at the base of the cranium, an external ophthalmic artery, of larger caliber, and a cerebral carotid artery, of smaller caliber.…”

“…For Campos (1987), the rostral branch, of large caliber, was a natural continuation of the cerebral carotid artery and bulged in arch, until it reached the cerebral transverse ϐissure (Kitoh 1962, Campos et al 1995. Still for this author, the rostral branch presented as collateral branches, the caudal cerebral artery and the middle cerebral artery, and its terminal branch was the cerebroethmoidal artery (Crowe & Crowe 1979, Baumel 1981, King & McLelland 1981, Campos et al 1995. According to Westpfahl (1961), the rostral branch reached the fossa sylvii and emitted the caudal cerebral artery, between the mesencephalon and the cerebral hemisphere, reaching the convex surface of the cerebral hemispheres.…”

“…Richards (1967), in Gallus, mentioned that the internal carotid arteries penetrated the sella turcica and anastomosed amongst themselves in form of an "H". For Baumel & Gerchman (1968), analyzing intercarotid anastomosis in 82 species of birds, classiϐied the galiformes (Gallus gallus) in the "H" type of intercarotid anastomosis (Crowe & Crowe 1979, Campos 1987, Campos et al 1995. Regarding the internal ophthalmic artery, Westpfahl (1961), observed that this vessel was given off the cerebral carotid artery and abandoned the cranium with the optical nerve, anastomosing with the external ophthalmic artery (Kitoh 1962, Richards 1967, Schwarze & Schroder 1970Nickel 1977, Crowe & Crowe 1979, Baumel 1981, Midtgard 1984, Campos 1987, Campos et al 1995, and the same was found in turkey.…”

“…In addition, there were some articles on the brain vascularization of birds, such as: Crowe & Crowe (1979) in Numida meleagris (Helmeted guinea fowl), Midtgard (1984) in Larus argentatus (Seagull), Campos (1987) in Gallus gallus (Chicken) and Holliday et al (2006) in Phoenicopterus ruber (Flamingo).…”