Comparative Morphological Studies on the Quadratomandibular Articulation in Hooded Crow (Corvus cornix) and Cattle Egret (Bubulcus ibis)

Document Type : Original Article

Author

Dept. of Anatomy and Embryology, Fac. Vet. Med, Suez Canal Univ., EGYPT

Abstract

The morphology of the quadratomandibular joint was investigated in Hooded crow (omnivorous bird) and Cattle egret (carnivourous bird). We investigated the articular surfaces and the capsule. The quadratomandibular joint in both birds was formed by the quadrate bone of the skull and the articular bone of the mandible. The articulation lacked the fibrocarilagenous disks which commonly present in the tempromandibular joint in mammalian species.The differences be- tween the two birds were in the size of the articular surface, thickness of the fibrous layer of the joint capsule and the site of attachments of the ligaments. These differences might be correlated with the different patterns of feeding behavior. We also suggested the suitable site for the intra-articular injection of this joint in both bird species which might help in the treatment of the joint affections.

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