Morphological structure of the syrinx in the Bursa Roller Pigeon (Columba livia)

Abstract

The aim of this study was to investigate the topographical, anatomical and histological characteristics of the syrinx in 18 Bursa Roler Pigeons. The study showed that the syrinx in pigeons was of tracheobronchial type and was composed of tympanum, cartilagines tracheosyringeales, and cartilagines bronchosyringeales. Tympanum and cartilagines bronchosyringeales were formed from 5 cartilage rings, while cartilagines tracheosyringeales were formed from 4 C-shaped cartilage rings. The pessulus was made up of a double-folded mucous membrane extending dorsoventrally from median walls of the bronchus primarius into the cavum syringis. The membrana tympaniformis lateralis filled the distance between the third and fourth cartilagines tracheosyringeales rings. The membrana tympaniformis medialis covered the distance between the medial ends of the cartilagines bronchosyringeales rings. There were 2 syringeal muscles termed tracheolateral and sternotracheal. The lamina epithelialis of the mucosa was lined with non-cornified stratified squamous epithelium.