The skull of the flamingo shows several fascinating adaptations for its use in feeding. Flamingos, of course, feed with their heads upside down in water, filtering it for small prey items. Accordingly they have some interesting structural features which differ from other birds – the lower bill is larger and stronger than the upper bill,…
Tag: bones
Kiwi X-ray shows the huge size of her egg
Kiwis are strange birds in many ways, and not least for their short stubby wings and long, hair-like feathers. They are the smallest living ratites (flightless birds, including ostriches, emus and cassowaries), with the largest species reaching maximum heights of just 45 cm. Unlike flying birds, kiwis have relaxed constraints on their weight, and…
CT scan of an African pangolin
Computed tomography (CT) scans of an African pangolin or scaly anteater. Pangolins are a unique family of mammal insectivores which are found in forests and desert in Africa and South-East Asia. They are covered in unique keratin scales, which make up 20% of their total weight. The largest species, the giant ground pangolin, can grow up to…
Skull of a python: can snakes hear through their jaws?
The vertebrate ear tends to have three parts: the outer, middle and inner ear. Snakes have greatly reduced outer and middle ears, yet with just the inner ear and one remaining part of the middle ear they are able to hear. The middle ear ossicle has become connected to the jaw, suggesting that vibrations of…
Branchial basket of the dogfish Squalus acanthias
The branchial basket is a cartilagenous structure which supports the gills (around the fine branches at either side). Image courtesy of RVC
No bones about it! What are skeletons?
Skeletons aren’t just bony figures with a skull, ribs and bandy legs that jump out of closets and ask for sweets at Hallowe’en. In fact, many skeletons have no bones at all! Let’s take a far and wide look at skeletons… Skeletons fulfil at least four basic functions – they support the body’s structure against gravity or other…
Anatomy To You 