Publication Type |
Manuscript |
School or College |
College of Science |
Department |
Biology |
Creator |
Farmer, Colleen G. |
Other Author |
Sanders, R. Kent |
Title |
The pulmonary anatomy of alligator mississippiensis and its similarity to the avian respiratory system |
Date |
2012 |
Description |
Using gross dissections and computed tomography we studied the lungs of juvenile American alligators (Alligator mississippiensis). Our findings indicate that both the external and internal morphology of the lungs is strikingly similar to the embryonic avian respiratory system (lungs + air sacs). We identified bronchi that we propose are homologous to the avian ventrobronchi (entobronchi), laterobronchi, dorsobronchi (ectobronchi), as well as regions of the lung hypothesized to be homologous to the cervical, interclavicular, anterior thoracic, posterior thoracic, and abdominal air sacs. Furthermore, we suggest that many of the features that alligators and birds share are homologous and that some of these features are important to the aerodynamic valve and are likely plesiomorphic for Archosauria. |
Type |
Text |
Publisher |
Wiley-Blackwell |
DOI |
10.1002/ar.22427 |
Language |
eng |
Bibliographic Citation |
Sanders, R. K., & Farmer, C. G. (2012). The pulmonary anatomy of alligator mississippiensis and its similarity to the avian respiratory system. Anatomical Record. |
Rights Management |
© Wiley-Blackwell The definitive version is available at DOI: 10.1002/ar.22427. |
Format Medium |
application/pdf |
Format Extent |
1,120,341 bytes |
Identifier |
ir-main,17130 |
ARK |
ark:/87278/s64f289b |
Setname |
ir_uspace |
ID |
706717 |
Reference URL |
https://collections.lib.utah.edu/ark:/87278/s64f289b |