Measurement of grey parrot (Psittacus erithacus) trachea via magnetic resonance imaging, dissection, and electron beam computed tomography.

Autor: Pepperberg IM; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721.; Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721.; The Program in Neuroscience, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721., Howell KS; Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721., Banta PA; The Program in Neuroscience, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721., Patterson DK; Department of Psychology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721., Meister M; Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, University of Arizona, Tucson, Arizona 85721.
Jazyk: angličtina
Zdroj: Journal of morphology [J Morphol] 1998 Oct; Vol. 238 (1), pp. 81-91.
DOI: 10.1002/(SICI)1097-4687(199810)238:1<81::AID-JMOR7>3.0.CO;2-Q
Abstrakt: To produce a model to explain the acoustic properties of human speech sounds produced by Grey parrots (Psittacus erithacus) and to compare these properties across species (e.g., with humans, other psittacine and nonpsittacine mimics), researchers need adequate measurements of the chambers that constitute the parrot vocal tract. Various methods can provide such data. Here we compare results for tracheal measurements provided by a) magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of a live bird, b) caliper measurements of four preserved specimens, and c) electron beam computed tomography (EBCT) of three of these preserved specimens. We find that EBCT scans provide data that correspond to the inner area of the dissected trachea, whereas MRI results correspond to area measurements that include tracheal ring thickness. We briefly discuss how these data may predict formant values for Grey parrot reproduction of human vowels. Our results suggest how noninvasive techniques can be used for cross-species comparisons, including the coevolution of structure and function in avian mimicry. J. Morphol. 238:81-91, 1998. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
(Copyright © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.)
Databáze: MEDLINE
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