Exotic integument Flashcards

1
Q

What information can be gained from the condition of skin and feathers of birds?

A
  • General health
  • Nutrition status
  • Management
  • Environemental conditions
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2
Q

What is pododermatitis in birds?

A
  • Bumblefoot
  • Occurs in captivity due to inappropriately sized perches, obesity, hard perches, concrete lined ponds and walking on gravel
  • Will see loss of pimples initially, then swellign and ulceration
  • Advanced stages will see ulceration, inflammation, necrotic plugs of tissue, deep tissue and bone damage
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3
Q

Give some differences between the integumet of brids and mammals

A
  • Avian thinner dermis
  • Lack of hair follicles, have feather follicles
  • Virtually glandless skin
  • Skin of legs and feet in birds are different = podotheca
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4
Q

What are the layers of the epidermis in birds?

A
  • Basal/germinative layer
  • Intermediate layer
  • Outer cornified layer
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5
Q

What is the function of the straited muscles found in the epidermis of birds?

A

To move skin

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6
Q

What are the division of the dermis in birds?

A
  • Superficial layer

- Deep layer

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7
Q

Describe the superficial dermal layer of birds

A
  • Varies in thickness depending on position and age

- Loosely arranged layers of collagen in interwoven bundles

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8
Q

Describe the deep dermal layer of birds

A
  • Fat
  • Feather follicles
  • Smooth muscles that control movement of feathers
  • Blood vessels and nerves that supply the dermis and epidermis
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9
Q

Describe the subcutaneous layer of bird skin

A
  • Loose connective tissue
  • Fat layer and discrete fat bodies
  • Fat bodies yellow deposits beneath skin
  • Areas of fat deposition vary from species to species and time of year (high in aquatic birds, pre-migration depositoin)
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10
Q

Why are the fat bodies of the subcutaneous layer of avian skin yellow?

A

Carotenoid pigments deposited into fat

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11
Q

What are some common areas of fat deposition in birds?

A
  • Lateral pectoral muscles
  • Cloacal region
  • Back
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12
Q

Describe the podotheca

A
  • Skin of feet and legs in birds
  • Non-feathered
  • Scales formed from raised heavily keratinised epidermis separated by folds of less keratinised tissue
  • Pimpled architecture or smooth/wrinkled
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13
Q

Describe the attachment of the skin to the underlying muscles in the bird

A
  • Over head, extremities adn sternum firly attached, non-moveable
  • Over remainder of body more loosely attached but still limited moveability
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14
Q

Describe the glandular tissue of avian integument

A
  • Effectively glandless
  • lacking sebaceous and sweat glands
  • Do have some specialised glands
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15
Q

List the glands of the avian skin

A
  • Uropygial gland (preen gland)
  • Glands of ear canal
  • Pericloacal glands
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16
Q

Describe the uropygial gland

A
  • Aka preen gland
  • Holocrine
  • Bilobed
  • Dorsal to cloaca at end of pygostyle
  • Caudally directed nipple
  • Not present in all species (if not, need keratinocytes)
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17
Q

What is the function of the uropygial gland?

A
  • Maintaining feather confition and secretions spread by preening
  • Waterproofing (by keeping feathers in good repair)
  • Contains pro-vitamin D, converted by UV to active vit D
  • Suppress growth of micro-organisms
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18
Q

Describe the keratinocytes in birds

A
  • Developing dermal cells undergo metamorphosis from cuboidal to squamous nature
  • Lose organelles
  • produce lipids and fibrous proteins (keratin)
  • Dehydrate and lyse
  • Lipid production from these makes entire skin “oil producing” gland
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19
Q

What are patagia in birds?

A

Skin reflected into flat, membrane like structures in areas where wings, legs, neck and tail join the body

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20
Q

Name and give the location of the 4 wing patagia

A
  • Propatagium: neck and wing
  • Postpatagium: caudal angle of carpi
  • Metapatagium: caudal junction of wing and thorax
  • Alular patagium: interspace btween alula and carpi
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21
Q

What is the function of the wing patagia?

A

Stability and aerodynamics

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22
Q

Describe the structure of the avian beak

A
  • Bones of maxilla and mandible with horny covering (rhamphotheca)
  • Similar to skin with modified epidermis
  • Stratum corneum thick, cell bound calcium phosphate and layered crystals of hydroxyapatite, abundant keratin
  • Combine to give beak hardness
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23
Q

Describe the bill tip organ in birds

A
  • Mechanoreceptors in distal tip of beak
  • Papillae from dermis ending in crater-like structures
  • Sensitive to heat, cold, pressure and pain
  • Variably present depending on feeding method (not in pecking)
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24
Q

Describe the cere of birds

A
  • Situated at base of upper beak
  • Composed of keratinised skin
  • Nostrils
  • Colour influenced by diet and hormones male budgies blue due to testosterone)
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25
Q

List the functions of feathers

A
  • Flight
  • Insulation
  • Waterproofing
  • Courtship, defence, aggressive territoral behaviour
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26
Q

What are pterylae and apteria?

A
  • Pterylae: areas that contain feather tracts

- Apteria: areas without feather tracts

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27
Q

What are the components of feathers?

A
  • Calamus
  • Rachis
  • Shaft
  • Vane or vexillum
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28
Q

Describe the calamus of the feather

A
  • Shot, hollow, tubular unpigmented end of mature feather
  • Inserted into follicle
  • Present below skin
  • Normal appearance is rounded, may appear pinched off if disease
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29
Q

Describe the rachis of the feather

A
  • Long, solid tubular extension of calamus above skin

- Contains pith composed of air-filled keratinised epithelial cells surrounded by soild keratinised outer cortex

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30
Q

Describe the shaft of the feather

A

Made up of calamus and rachis

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31
Q

Describe the vane or vexillum of the feather

A
  • Portion of feather either side of rachis
  • Composed of barbs and associated structures
  • Vane either plumulaceous or pennaceous depending on individual feather type
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32
Q

How is the type of feather characterised?

A

Structure of rachis, barbs and barbules

- 10 types recognised

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33
Q

Describe the

a. countour feathers
b. covert feathers
c. remiges
d. retrices

A

a. predominant feather covering body
b. small countour feathers of wing and tail
c. large stiff feathers of wing
d. large flight feathers of tail

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34
Q

Names some specialised adapted feathers

A
  • Semiplumes
  • Hypopnea
  • Filiplumes
  • Bristles
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35
Q

Describe the down feathers

A
  • Adult and natal
  • Powder down feathers disintegrate and produce keratin powder that is spread thorugh feathers uring preening
  • May be lacking in disease
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36
Q

Outline feather growth

A
  • Feathers from feather follicles
  • Invaginations of skin and closely fit calamus
  • Follicle consists of epidermal and dermal eclls
  • At umbilicus of calamus, dermis carries hump of pulp into tip of calamus
  • Follicle lined by epidermal cells both living and cornified
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37
Q

Describe the innervation of the feather structures

A
  • Follicular wall abundant sensory supply

- Papillae, pulp and feather muscles also well innervated

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38
Q

Describe the function of the smooth muscles at the base of feather follicles

A
  • Maintain body temperature

- Increase or decrease elevation of feathers from skin

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39
Q

What is the function of Herbst’s corpuscles and where are they located?

A
  • Base of feather follicles

- Detect subtle ground vibrations and changes in air current

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40
Q

Describe the process of moulting in birds

A
  • Soft keratin structures (scales, comb, wattle, cere) underogo constant moult and replacement similar way to mammalian skin
  • Feathers moult by growth of new feather, shedding of old one
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41
Q

What are the different moult patterns seen in birds?

A
  • Gradual: last many months
  • Dramatic: over in a few weeks
  • Continual: powder down feathers
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42
Q

Describe the proximal control of feather moulting

A
  • Complex, influenced by circannual rhyhms of changing photoperiod and temperature
  • Pineal-hypothalamic-pituitary and ANS-endocrine pathways
  • Influenced by oestrogens, progestergens, thyroid hormones, catecholamines and prolactin
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43
Q

Describe the role of nutrition in moulting

A
  • High metabolic and nutritional demand for feather growth
  • Protein mainly in form of keratins, 90% of dry matter content of feathers
  • Moult will proceed regardless of nutritional status of birds, leading to protracted moult, poor quality feathers
44
Q

What are fret marks and how are they caused?

A
  • Clear breakds in feather colour as a result of interruption in feather growth and malformation of featehr barbs
  • Nutritional, environmental, disease, drug stresses
45
Q

What factors determine feather colour?

A
  • Biochromes

- Structural properties

46
Q

Describe the role of biochromes in feather colour

A
  • Colour pigments deposited at time of feather development
  • Either natural: Intensity determined by availability of “free carotenoids in diet
  • Or synthetic
47
Q

Explain the role of structural properties in feather colour

A
  • Inherent in development of feather
  • Or induced by materials placed on feather after development that alter absorption and reflection of light
  • Barbs and barbules scatter and reflect varying wavelengths = iridescent glow of feathers
  • Green usually due to structural characteristics (giving blue colour) and yellow (pigments) overlapping
48
Q

What, other than biochromes and structural properties, may affect feather colour?

A
  • Disease e.g. Avian circovirus
  • Malnutrition (esp. deficiencies in essential amino acids and vitamins)
  • Red colouration of appendages due to vascularisation (e.g. wattles, combs)
49
Q

Describe the condition “scaly face” in birds

A
  • Knemidocoptics mites

- Hyperkeratosis of cere, beak and surrounding tissue leading to honeycombing of tissue

50
Q

Describe the anatomy and physiology of ferret skin

A
  • Fur: soft short undercoat, long coarse guard hairs
  • Skin thick, numerous sebaceous glands
  • No skin sweat glands
  • Seasonal moults - thinner and lighter in spring, thicker and darker in autumn
51
Q

Describe the hair of rabbits

A
  • Long and short guard hairs and undercoat
  • Natural colour is agouti
  • Moult in spring and autumn
  • Thick fur on feet instead of foot pads
  • Vibrissae around face for sensing
52
Q

Describe the skin of rabbits

A
  • Submental, anal and inguinal scent glands

- No foot pads

53
Q

What is the role of rabbits’ large ears?

A

Thermoregulation

54
Q

Describe the hair of guinea pigs

A
  • Vibrissae
  • Agouti natural colour
  • Long and short haired varietyes
  • Also naked
55
Q

Describe the skin of guinea pigs

A
  • Thick foot pads

- Sebaceous glands approx 1 cm dorsal to anus

56
Q

Describe the integument of chinchillas

A
  • Dense soft coat, 60 hairs/follicle
  • Fur slip
  • Large, bald ears
  • Footpads
  • Small weak claws
  • Vibrissae
57
Q

Describe the integument of hamsters

A
  • Vibrissae
  • Skin loose and stretchy
  • Large flank scent glands in syrian
  • +/- ventral scent glands
58
Q

Describe the integument of rats

A
  • Guard hairs and undercoat
  • Feet hairless, thick pads
  • Naked rats
  • Sweat glands only on feet
  • Zymbal’s gland at base of ear
  • Tail hairless, thermoregulation
  • Vibrissae
59
Q

Describe the integument of gerbils

A
  • Guard hairs and undercoat
  • Tail slip possible
  • Ventral scent glands
60
Q

Describe the integument of sugar gliders

A
  • Females have pouch with 4 teats
  • Cloaca
  • Patagium between front and hign legs
  • Scent gland on forehead and throat in males
  • Both have paracloacal scent glands
  • Tail slip possible
61
Q

Describe the integument of african pygmy heedgehogs

A
  • Spines are modified hairs
  • Hair and sebaceous glands absent in spiny skin
  • Sweat and sebaceous glands in haired skin and feet
62
Q

Describe reptilian skin

A
  • Dry with few glands
  • Glandular tissue confined to femoral and pre-cloacal pores in some lizards
  • 3 layers of epidermis
63
Q

What are the functions of reptilian skin?

A
  • Display
  • Protection
  • Camouflage
  • Thermoregulation
  • Fluid homeostasis
64
Q

Describe the pre-cloacal and femoral pores in lizards

A

Males often have more pores and more prominent pores than female of same age and size

65
Q

What are the 3 layers of reptilian epidermis?

A
  • Stratum germinatum
  • Intermediate layer
  • Stratum corneum
66
Q

What is the function of the stratum germinatum in reptiles?

A
  • Divides

- Produces keratin

67
Q

What is the function of the intermediate layer of reptilian epidermis?

A

Contains lipids

68
Q

What is the function of the stratum corneum in the reptilian epidermis?

A

Forms scales and scutes

69
Q

What are the 2 forms of keratin in reptilian skin?

A
  • Alpha keratin

- Beta-keratin

70
Q

Describe alpha-keratin in reptilian skin

A
  • Flexible

- Found between scales and scutes and in hinges

71
Q

Describe beta-keratin in reptilian skin

A
  • Unique to reptiles
  • hard
  • Forms scutes, horns adn scales
72
Q

Describe the hinges in reptilian skin

A
  • Location varies
  • Betwen scales of snake or lizard
  • Bell’s Hingeback tortoise has hinge at back near legs, can close shell over legs
  • Eastern box turtle can draw limbs and head into shell then close shell completely
73
Q

Describe the dermis of reptiles

A
  • Contains pigment cells, nerves and vessels

- Contains bony plates in some species e.g. crocodile, tortoise skink

74
Q

Describe how the chelonian shell is formed

A
  • 60 osteoderms
  • Fused with ribs and parts of spine
  • Covered by spidermal scutes or leathery skin
75
Q

What are scutes?

A

Keratin overlying osteoderm

76
Q

Describe the chromatophores in reptilian skin

A
  • Lie between dermis and epidermis
  • Influenced by autonomic nervous system, hormones, light and temperature
  • Used in camouflage, display and thermoregulation
77
Q

What colour are the melanophores?

A

Black, yellow and grey

78
Q

What colour are carotenoid cells?

A

Yellow, red, orange

79
Q

Describe iridophores

A
  • Guanophores
  • Lie in dermis
  • Contain cyrstalline product guanine, reflects light
  • Blue waves reflected more = blue colour
  • Combine with carotenoids to give green colour
80
Q

What are the functions of amphibian skin?

A
  • Protection
  • Sensory
  • Thermoregulatory
  • Fluid balance
81
Q

Describe the skin layers in amphibians

A
  • Epidermis thinner, easily damaged
  • Dermis: outer stratum spongiosum and inner stratum compactum
  • Dermis contains nerves, vessels, smooth muscle, chromatophores and specialised glands
82
Q

Compare the stratum compactum in salamanders and anurans

A
  • Salamanders: tightly adhered to underlying connective tissue
  • Anurans: loosely attached to underlying connective tissue
83
Q

Describe the functions of epidermal glands in amphibians

A
  • Produce mucus or waxy substances (may enhance cutaneous respiration, or reduce evaporative water loss)
  • Also toxins and other chemicals for pretection against predators and infection
84
Q

Give some examples of toxins secreted by amphibians

A
  • Poison arrow frogs
  • Fire salamanders spray toxin from dorsal glands
  • cane toads: parotid glands which release skin toxins
85
Q

Describe the pelvic patch in anurans

A
  • Area of increased vascularity on ventral pelvis
  • Aka drinking patch
  • Enables water absorption as most amphibians do not drink
86
Q

What are the implications of skin permeability

A
  • Administration of topical medications
  • Soaking in shallow water aids rehydration
  • Trace of environmetnal toxins and pollutants can cause illness and/or death
87
Q

Describe the parietal eye in reptiles

A
  • Found in many lizards
  • Direct connection to pineal gland
  • Regulation of body temperature
88
Q

Describe the spectacles found in reptiles

A
  • Clear scales over eyes of snakes and some geckos
  • Fusion of upper and lower eyelids
  • Continuous with skin
  • Fluid between scale and eye
89
Q

Describe the heat-sensory pits found in snakes

A
  • Found in boas, pythons and vipers

- Pick up heat change of 0.1 degree

90
Q

Describe some adaptations of reptiles used for display and/or defence

A
  • Crests, frills, horns, gular pouches, spines

- Usually large in maes

91
Q

Describe the cloacal spurs

A
  • Retained pelvic vestiges in boids
  • Courtship
  • More pronounced in males
92
Q

Describe the gastropeges in snakes

A
  • Single row of large ventral scales
  • Esed in locomotion
  • Dig into surface to drag snake along
93
Q

Describe the adhesive toe pads found in some lizards

A
  • Geckoes
  • Enable gripping of surfaces including glass
  • Tiny rows of overlapping scales called lamella
  • Each lamella in turn covered in tiny branching hairs called setae
94
Q

What is ecdysis?

A
  • Sehdding of skin under influence of thyroid gland
95
Q

Compare ecdysis across reptilian species

A
  • Snakes and geckos: shed whole skin, eaten by geckos
  • Other lizards shed piecemeal
  • Terrestrial tortoises shed legs, tail and neck only
  • Aquatic cheloonia shed individual scutes
96
Q

Describe the process of ecdysis

A
  • Cells of intermediate layer replicate to form new 3 layer epidermis
  • Lymph and enzymes diffuse between old and new, form cleavage zone
  • Old skin shed
  • New skin hardens
  • Require humidity and rough surfaces
97
Q

What are some of the implications of ecdysis?

A
  • Skin more permeable, more vulnerable to parasites and infection
  • Absorption of topical medications may be enhanced (toxicity)
  • Snakes more skittish and aggressive
98
Q

Describe the anatomy of the chelonian shell

A
  • Dome shpaed carapace dorsally
  • Flattened plastron ventrally
  • Connected by bone struts
  • Pelvic girdle some attachment to plastron
  • 60 osteoderms, fused with ribs and parts of spine, covered by epidemal scutes or leathery skin
99
Q

How do scutes of chelonians grow?

A

Addition of new keratin layers to base of each scute, can see these areas of growth and reflect history (nutrition, husbandry, previous trauma to shell etc)

100
Q

What is a risk when handling hamsters?

A
  • Traumatic exopthalmos
  • Scruffing too tight, skin loose
  • Pull skin away from around eyes
  • Eyes pop out
101
Q

Describe the integument of fish

A
  • Semi-waterproof barrier
  • Helps maintain fluid and salt balance
  • Consists of epidermal cells and scales
  • Covered by protective outer mucus cuticle
  • Fins modified structures of skin, aid locomotion and balance in water
102
Q

Describe the epidermis of fish

A
  • Stratum basale and stratum germinatum (no corneum or spinosum)
  • Mucus producing goblet cells
  • Cuticle of mucus and contains antibodies and lysosymes
  • Capable of cell division at all levels, during wound healing migrate rapidly to cover any defect and maintain waterproof integrity
103
Q

Describe the dermis of fish

A
  • Superficial stratum spongiosum, deeper stratum compactum

- Contains chromatophores, mechanoreceptors, chemoreceptors, electroreceptors

104
Q

Describe the scales of fish

A
  • Embedded in dermis
  • Covered by layer of epidermis
  • Loss of scales will almost always damage skin leading to osmotic balance problems
105
Q

Give some specialised derivatives of scales in fish

A
  • Spines
  • Stings
  • Bony plates
  • Lateral line system