Journal Article

Extraembryonic membrane morphology in greater rheas (Rhea americana americana Linnaeus, 1758)

de Moura, Carlos Eduardo Bezerra, Pereira, Alexsandra Fernandes, Diniz, João Augusto Rodrigues Alves, Fernandes, Bruno Caio Chaves, de Oliveira, Moacir Franco, de Sousa, Ana Caroline Freitas Caetano, Gadelha, Ana Indira Bezerra Barros, Lopes, Igor Renno Guimarães

2023

Overview

The greater rhea, Rhea americana , is a wild ratite of high scientific importance and significant and zootechnical value, especially considering the current development state of Brazilian poultry production, where research aimed at increasing the productivity of these animals has become extremely relevant. Studies concerning fetal attachments and embryonic development are paramount, as they can provide essential information concerning reproductive and nutritional animal management. However, a lack of information on greater rhea fetal morphology is noted. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to establish a standard model for fetal attachments in this species. Greater rhea eggs were incubated from 0 to 36 days, and macroscopic and microscopic embryonic attachment characterizations were performed. Histologically, all embryonic annexes exhibit germ layers, namely the ectoderm (outer layer), mesoderm (middle layer) and endoderm (inner layer). The findings indicate that greater rhea development patterns are similar to other birds.

• Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg,Springer Nature B.V
• Subject: Animal Anatomy / Animal embryos / Animal Systematics/Taxonomy/Biogeography / Animals / Biomedical and Life Sciences / Developmental Biology / Ectoderm / Eggs / Embryogenesis / Embryonic development / Embryonic growth stage / Embryos / Endoderm / Evolutionary Biology / Fetuses / Histology / Life Sciences / Membranes / Mesoderm / Morphology / Original Paper / Poultry production / Scanning electron microscopy / Skin