Journal of Animal Research: v.5 n.2, p. 385-387. June 2015

DOI Number: 10.5958/2277-940X.2015.00066.2

SHORT COMMUNICATION

Comparative Gross Anatomical Studies on the Sternum of Emu, Turkey and Duck

S. Jayachitra*, K.Balasundaram and S. Paramasivan

Department of Veterinary Anatomy and Histology, Veterinary College and Research Institute, Namakkal, Tamil Nadu, INDIA

*Corresponding author: S Jayachitra; Email: jaichitravet@gmail.com

Received: 08 October, 2014

Accepted: 15 June, 2015

ABSTRACT

Study was undertaken to provide a reference for the gross anatomy of the sternum of emu as one of the ratite species and also

to compare the structural differences with sternum of duck and turkey. The sternum from four adult emu, turkey and duck were

collected and used for the present study. The sternum was a large unsegmented bone located on the antero-ventral aspect of the

body cavity, bowl-shaped in emu, triangular in turkey and rectangular in duck. It consisted of deeply concave dorsal surface,

more convex ventral surface without keel in emu, with prominent keel in turkey and duck and had two extremities and two

borders. An upward and antero-laterally directed flat antero-lateral process was observed and was long in turkey, short and

curved in emu and very small in duck. The posterior extremity or metasternum was triangular and flattened in emu. It had very

long posterior process and carried ventrally a thin plate of bone called keel in duck and turkey. Single and divided postero-lateral

process was noticed in duck and turkey respectively but was absent in emu.

Keywords : Anatomy, Sternum, Emu, Duck, Turkey

Ratites derive their name from the Latin word ratis,

Namakkal. The sternum with pectoral muscles were

meaning raft, which describes their unique sternum with

collected from the local slaughter houses in and around

its concave shape. This anatomical structure hampers

the Namakkal and were macerated by wet method of

visualization of the ventral aspect of the cranially situated

maceration. The disarticulated sternum was cleaned and

organs (heart and liver) (Wagnera et al., 2001). The

utilized to study the gross anatomical features.

sternum is one of the largest bone in the bird skeleton,

The sternum of emu was a large unsegmented bowl

provides an anchor for articulation of wing bones and

shaped bone located on the antero- ventral aspect of the

a keel like structure gives attachment to wing muscles

body cavity and gives attachment to the coracoid and

. It acts as leverage for flight muscles thereby facilitates

sternal ribs. Sathyamoorthy et al. (2012) mentioned that

flight mechanism. But in walking birds and poor fliers, the

the sternum of the Spot-billed pelican was large, broad and

differences in the keel and sternum makes them unable to

quadrilateral in shape. Brett and Hopkins (1991) reported

fly. Plenty of information is available on gross anatomy of

that all ratites have a broad smooth, bowl - shaped breast

sternum of domestic fowl but it is lacking on comparative

plate or sternum without a keel. Murray and Fowler

aspects of sternum of poor fliers such as duck and turkey

(1991) also described soup plate like sternum in Emu. The

with large flightless ratite species emu. Therefore, the

sternum consisted of two surfaces, two extremities and

study was undertaken to study the gross anatomy of

two borders. The dorsal surface was deeply concave and

sternum in detail.

the ventral surface was more convex which gives broad

The study was conducted on four adult emu, turkey

area for attachment to the breast muscles. The sternum

and duck in the Department of Veterinary Anatomy and

was rectangular with very shallow dorsal surface in duck.

Histology, Veterinary College and Research Institute,

The dorsal surface of the body was pierced by numerous