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. 2021 Jul;239(1):59-69.
doi: 10.1111/joa.13411. Epub 2021 Mar 1.

Correlation between wing bone microstructure and different flight styles: The case of the griffon vulture (gyps fulvus) and greater flamingo (phoenicopterus roseus)

Gian N Frongia  1 , Salvatore Naitana  1 , Vittorio Farina  1 , Sergio D Gadau  1 , Marco D Stefano  2 , Marco Muzzeddu  3 , Giovanni Leoni  1 , Marco Zedda  1
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Correlation between wing bone microstructure and different flight styles: The case of the griffon vulture (gyps fulvus) and greater flamingo (phoenicopterus roseus)

Gian N Frongia et al. J Anat. 2021 Jul.

Abstract

Flying is the main means of locomotion for most avian species, and it requires a series of adaptations of the skeleton and of feather distribution on the wing. Flight type is directly associated with the mechanical constraints during flight, which condition both the morphology and microscopic structure of the bones. Three primary flight styles are adopted by avian species: flapping, gliding, and soaring, with different loads among the main wing bones. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the cross-sectional microstructure of the most important skeletal wing bones, humerus, radius, ulna, and carpometacarpus, in griffon vultures (Gyps fulvus) and greater flamingos (Phoenicopterus roseus). These two species show a flapping and soaring flight style, respectively. Densitometry, morphology, and laminarity index were assessed from the main bones of the wing of 10 griffon vultures and 10 flamingos. Regarding bone mineral content, griffon vultures generally displayed a higher mineral density than flamingos. Regarding the morphology of the crucial wing bones involved in flight, while a very slightly longer humerus was observed in the radius and ulna of flamingos, the ulna in griffons was clearly longer than other bones. The laminarity index was significantly higher in griffons. The results of the present study highlight how the mechanics of different types of flight may affect the biomechanical properties of the wing bones most engaged during flight.

Keywords: bone microstructure; flamingo (Phoenicopterus roseus); flight style; griffon vulture (Gyps fulvus); wing skeleton.

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Figures

FIGURE 1
FIGURE 1
Bone mineral content (BMC). G, griffon vulture; F, flamingo. **p < 0.001; *p < 0.01
FIGURE 2
FIGURE 2
Caudal view of the right wing skeleton in flamingo (a) and griffon vulture (b). The missing portions of the diaphyses were used for histological analysis
FIGURE 3
FIGURE 3
Cross‐sectional shape as ratio between second moment of area in the maximum (Imax) and minimum (Imin) direction. G, griffon vulture; F, flamingo. **p < 0.001
FIGURE 4
FIGURE 4
Relative cortical area (RCA) as the ratio between cortical bone area (CA) and diaphyseal cavity area (DA). G, griffon vulture; F, flamingo. **p < 0.001; *p < 0.01
FIGURE 5
FIGURE 5
Length standardized polar moment of area (J/L). G, griffon vulture; F, flamingo. **p < 0.001; *p < 0.01
FIGURE 6
FIGURE 6
Secondary remiges of griffon vulture (a) and flamingo (b)
FIGURE 7
FIGURE 7
Laminarity index (LI) of the vascular canals in the bone tissue. G, griffon vulture; F, flamingo. **p < 0.001
FIGURE 8
FIGURE 8
Histological sections of humerus (a) and ulna (b) of griffon vulture and humerus (c) and ulna (d) of flamingo
FIGURE 9
FIGURE 9
Transversal section of the humeri of griffon vulture (a, c) and flamingo (b, d). Humeri are the only pneumatized bones of the wing. Note the bone bridges crossing the diaphyseal cavity, which strengthen the whole bone during flight
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