Anatomy of the hyoid skeleton of the rock dove (Patagioenas livia)

Abstract

Twenty five adult specimens of the Rock dove were used in the present study. The present study was carried out by using several biological techniques; gross anatomy, general histology and scanning electron microscopic investigations. The hyoid skeleton consists of three axial unpaired elements and a paired hyoid horn. The axial skeleton comprises an anterior os paragoossale, a middle os basihyale, an a posterior os urohyale. The paired hyoid horn consists of os ceratobranchiale and os epibranchiale. The hyoid horns are curved dorso-laterally reaching the posterior side of the skull. The hyoid skeleton has Joint and ligaments between basihyal, ceratobranchials, and urohyal to allow the ceratobranchials and the urohyal to rotate from dorsal to ventral, from lateral to medial and from rostral to caudal, and to rotate along their axes. Keywords: The rock dove; anatomy; hyoid skeleton; scanning electron microscope