lectures Flashcards
What is the class of birds?
Aves
How many species of birds exist?
Approximately 9,700 species classified into 27 orders.
What is the largest order of birds?
Passeriformes (songbirds), with over 5,712 species.
What is the lifespan of some bird species?
Some, like swans and parrots, can live for over 40 years.
What is the function of pneumatized bones in birds?
They are lightweight and fused for flight efficiency.
What is prokinesis in birds?
It allows mobility of the upper jaw, common in psittacines.
What is the notarium?
Fusion of thoracic vertebrae providing stability for flight.
What is the pygostyle?
Supports tail feathers for climbing and stability.
What muscle depresses the bird’s wing?
The pectoralis muscle.
What muscle lifts the bird’s wing?
The supracoracoideus muscle.
Which muscle type dominates in flighted birds?
Red muscle (aerobic).
What is the function of the crop in birds?
It stores food before digestion.
What is the function of the gizzard (ventriculus)?
Grinds food since birds lack teeth.
What unique breathing system do birds have?
A flow-through breathing system with air sacs.
What is the function of the syrinx?
It produces sound in birds.
How does the bird’s aortic arch differ from mammals?
It curves to the right, unlike mammals where it curves left.
What system allows renal blood filtration in birds?
The renal portal system.
What bacteria cause colisepticemia in birds?
Escherichia coli (E. coli).
What zoonotic bacterial disease is caused by Chlamydia psittaci?
Avian Chlamydiosis (Parrot fever).
What fungal infection is common in birds?
Aspergillosis, affecting the respiratory system.
What is the best antibiotic for Mycoplasma infections in birds?
Fluoroquinolones like Enrofloxacin or Marbofloxacin.
Why are steroids rarely used in birds?
They cause immunosuppression and liver damage.
What is the recommended diet for large parrots?
70% pellets, greens, wild plants, fruits; limit nuts & seeds.
What vitamin deficiency causes beak and cere hyperplasia?
Vitamin A deficiency.
What causes egg binding in birds?
Malnutrition (Vitamin E, selenium, calcium deficiency), obesity, genetic factors.
What are the symptoms of pododermatitis (bumblefoot)?
Redness, swelling, ulcers on the footpad, severe pain.
What is a unique feature of rodent teeth?
Continuously growing incisors in both jaws.
What is the dental formula of rodents?
I1 C0 P0 M3.
What bacteria cause Tyzzer’s disease in rodents?
Clostridium piliforme.
What is the most common tumor in female rats?
Mammary fibroadenoma.
What is Inclusion Body Disease (IBD) in snakes caused by?
Arenavirus (Reptarenavirus).
What is the cause of Metabolic Bone Disease (MBD) in reptiles?
Calcium/Vitamin D deficiency, improper Ca:P ratio, lack of UV light.
