A functional analysis of the primary upstroke and downstroke muscles in the domestic pigeon (Columba livia) during flight

1988 ◽  
Vol 134 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-16 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. P. Dial ◽  
S. R. Kaplan ◽  
G. E. Goslow ◽  
F. A. Jenkins

In domestic pigeons (Columba livia), the electrical activity of the major depressor muscle of the wing, the pectoralis (pars thoracicus), beings in late upstroke well before the wing begins its downstroke excursion. The two architecturally distinct heads of the pectoralis, the sternobrachialis and the thoracobrachialis, are differentially recruited during take-off, level flight and landing. In addition to wing depression, the sternobrachialis protracts the humerus and the thoracobrachialis retracts the humerus. At the point of transition from wing upstroke to downstroke, the pectoralis EMG signal typically exhibits a reduction in amplitude. The supracoracoideus, in addition to an expected EMG associated with wing elevation, is co-activated with the pectoralis about 50% of the time.

2020 ◽  
Vol 24 (04) ◽  
pp. 781-790
Author(s):  
Gabriel Silva Santos ◽  
◽  
Maurício Brandão Vecchi ◽  
Maria Alice Santos Alves

Historically, Domestic pigeon (Columba livia domestica Gmelin,1789) (Columbiformes, Columbidae) breeders use the species to promotes race competitions which over the time could select traits to increase the flight performance and spatial orientation capabilities. Although the species has remarkable navigational abilities, it is possible that these birds sometimes become disoriented pushing the individuals to fly off-course and over distances larger than usual. Here we report a Domestic Pigeon ringed in the Canary Islands (Spain) observed in the Abrolhos Archipelago, eastern Brazil, and compiled similar events (N = 5) in the Southwest Atlantic Ocean coast. Our results indicate that these events are largely unnoticed in the scientific literature as most of them were found in non-scientific newspaper and academic conferences, thus, untraceable from scientific databases as Scopus and Google Scholar. As domestic pigeons are possible intermediate hosts of diseases, we encourage the creation of a systematized database of this kind of movements of these birds, including the profile of these vagrants and the circumstances in which these events occur, which can be a basis to be used for scientists and decision makers.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Emily T. Maclary ◽  
Bridget Phillips ◽  
Ryan Wauer ◽  
Elena F. Boer ◽  
Rebecca Bruders ◽  
...  

ABSTRACTThe iris of the eye shows striking color variation across vertebrate species, and may play important roles in crypsis and communication. The domestic pigeon (Columba livia) has three common iris colors, orange, pearl (white), and bull (dark brown), segregating in a single species, thereby providing a unique opportunity to identify the genetic basis of iris coloration. We used comparative genomics and genetic mapping in laboratory crosses to identify two candidate genes that control variation in iris color in domestic pigeons. We identified a nonsense mutation in the solute carrier SLC2A11B that is shared among all pigeons with pearl eye color, and a locus associated with bull eye color that includes EDNRB2, a gene involved in neural crest migration and pigment development. However, bull eye is likely controlled by a heterogeneous collection of alleles across pigeon breeds. We also found that the EDNRB2 region is associated with regionalized plumage depigmentation (piebalding). Our results establish a genetic link between iris and plumage color, two traits that were long known by pigeon breeders to co-occur, and demonstrate the importance of gene duplicates in establishing possibilities and constraints in the evolution of color and color pattern among vertebrates.


Author(s):  
Emily T Maclary ◽  
Bridget Phillips ◽  
Ryan Wauer ◽  
Elena F Boer ◽  
Rebecca Bruders ◽  
...  

Abstract The iris of the eye shows striking color variation across vertebrate species, and may play important roles in crypsis and communication. The domestic pigeon (Columba livia) has three common iris colors, orange, pearl (white), and bull (dark brown), segregating in a single species, thereby providing a unique opportunity to identify the genetic basis of iris coloration. We used comparative genomics and genetic mapping in laboratory crosses to identify two candidate genes that control variation in iris color in domestic pigeons. We identified a nonsense mutation in the solute carrier SLC2A11B that is shared among all pigeons with pearl eye color, and a locus associated with bull eye color that includes EDNRB2, a gene involved in neural crest migration and pigment development. However, bull eye is likely controlled by a heterogeneous collection of alleles across pigeon breeds. We also found that the EDNRB2 region is associated with regionalized plumage depigmentation (piebalding). Our study identifies two candidate genes for eye colors variation, and establishes a genetic link between iris and plumage color, two traits that vary widely in the evolution of birds and other vertebrates.


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 52-56
Author(s):  
Samira Al-Agouri ◽  
Nadia Alrwab ◽  
Hussien Amgawer ◽  
Ghazala Sadaga ◽  
Mohamed Idris Alshelmani

Pigeon coccidiosis is caused by Eimeria spp; a protozoan parasite which limits birds’ productivity by causing severe illness. The current study was carried out to investigate the prevalence of coccidiosis on domestic pigeon in Libya. Intestinal contents of 100 pigeons (Columba livia domestica Gmelin, 1789) were collected within a period of five months; January to May 2020. The intestinal content was examined to detect of coccidian oocysts infection on the randomly selected birds. A total of 100 faecal samples were investigated with two methods;Willis-Schaafs (qualitative) and McMaster’s (quantitative). The results obtained showed that the number of infected Pigeons was 72 pigeons (72%) of the total number of Pigeons. The prevalence was higher in female than that of males, where the total of infected females was 50 (69.4 %) and infected males was 22 (30.6%). The results showed that the highest incidence of Eimeria labbeana was observed in the young pigeons than that of adults, where the total number of young pigeons was 66 (91.7 %), and adult pigeon was 6 (8.3 %).


2020 ◽  
Vol 51 (4) ◽  
pp. 1220-1225
Author(s):  
Faraj & Al- Amery

Ascaridiosis is a very important parasitic disease of birds, it is caused by Ascaridia. This study was conducted to identify the Ascaridia species by microscopic and molecular assay in Baghdad city. One hundred and sixty fecal samples were collected from domestic pigeons during the period from 1/1/ 2019 to 31/3/ 2019.  Results showed that the rate of infection for Ascaridia spp. 15.62% by microscopic examination.  Significant difference was observed in infection rates between males and females pigeons. Fifty samples randomly selected and subjected to molecular diagnosis of Ascaridia  spp.. Molecular examination results, the total infection rate showed 16%(8/50). The eight  positive PCR products were sequenced and deposited in Gene bank data base, phylogenic analysis demonstrated that 4 sequences belongs to Ascaridia galli ( MK918635.1, MK918636.1, MK918847.1, MK919081.1), while 2 (MK919199.1, MK919200.1) belong to  Ascaridia nymphii and 2 (MK919207.1, MK919264.1)  belong to Ascaridia numidae. It is the first study in Iraq to diagnosis of  Ascaridia nymphii and Ascaridia numidae  in domesticed pigeons by using conventional PCR.


Pathogens ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 440
Author(s):  
Imron Rosyadi ◽  
Siti Isrina Oktavia Salasia ◽  
Bayanzul Argamjav ◽  
Hiroshi Sato

Pigeon haemoproteosis caused by Haemoproteus columbae (Apicomplexa: Haemosporida: Haemoproteidae) is globally prevalent in rock doves (Columba livia), although little is known regarding this disease in pigeons and doves in Indonesia. Blood samples of 35 farmed domestic pigeons (C. livia f. domestica) from four localities in Yogyakarta Special Region, Central Java, Indonesia, were collected from March to June, 2016, subjected to a hemogram, and analyzed for the presence of hemoprotozoan infections. Microscopic examination of blood smears revealed a prevalence of 62.5–100% of H. columbae at the four localities (n = 8–10 for each locality), and geometric means of 3.0–5.6% of erythrocytes were parasitized by young and mature gametocytes, suggesting that all infected pigeons were in the chronic phase of infection with repeated recurrences and/or reinfections. Nucleotide sequencing of mitochondrial cytochrome b gene (cytb) for haemosporidian species demonstrated the distribution of four major cytb lineages of H. columbae (mainly HAECOL1, accompanied by COLIV03, COQUI05, and CXNEA02 according to the MalAvi database). Hemogram analysis, involving the estimation of packed cell volume, erythrocyte counts, mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, and plasma protein and fibrinogen levels of 20 parasitized pigeons and five non-infected pigeons demonstrated significant macrocytic hypochromic anemia with hypoproteinemia and hyperfibrinogenemia in the infected pigeons. This study shows the profound impact of long-lasting subclinical pigeon haemoproteosis caused by H. columbae on the health of farmed domestic pigeons.


2018 ◽  
Vol 59 (5) ◽  
pp. 604-607 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. G. Mao ◽  
H. Y. Cao ◽  
H. H. Liu ◽  
X. Y. Dong ◽  
N. Y. Xu ◽  
...  

2003 ◽  
Vol 64 (4) ◽  
pp. 453-462 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kemba L. Marshall ◽  
Linden E. Craig ◽  
Michael P. Jones ◽  
Gregory B. Daniel

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