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Contrasting morphological evidence for the presence of taste buds in Dromaius novaehollandiae and Struthio camelus (Palaeognathae, Aves)

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Abstract

This study, facilitated by the use of immunohistochemistry, indicated the presence of taste buds in Dromaius novaehollandiae but not in Struthio camelus. Seen at the light microscope level, the taste buds consisted of follicular cells and receptor cells. The follicular cells were located at the periphery of the taste bud, essentially encapsulating the receptor cells. Two morphologically distinct receptor cells were identified. Immunohistochemical labelling for neurofilament identified gustatory nerves within the taste bud. The distribution of taste buds in D. novaehollandiae matched strategic locations in the oropharynx along which food could be sampled, according to the feeding method described for these birds. Future feeding studies would be necessary in D. novaehollandiae to determine the importance of taste discrimination in their diet. This study represents the first confirmed report of a sense of taste in any ratite species.

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Acknowledgments

The authors thank Dr A. Olivier (Klein Karoo Ostrich abattoir) and Ms. Tanya Claassen (Oryx Ostrich Abattoir) for providing S. camelus and D. novaehollandiae specimens; Mrs Charmaine Vermeulen for the photograph of the oropharynx; Ms. Erna van Wilpe from the Electron Microscope Unit, Department of Anatomy and Physiology; Dr S. Clift and Ms. R. Phaswane from the Department of Paraclinical Sciences, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria for the immunohistochemistry; the support staff of the Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria. This work was funded by the University of Pretoria.

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  1. Department of Anatomy and Physiology, Faculty of Veterinary Science, University of Pretoria, Private Bag X04, Onderstepoort, 0110, South Africa

    Martina Rachel Crole & John Thomson Soley

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  1. Martina Rachel Crole
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  2. John Thomson Soley
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Correspondence to Martina Rachel Crole.

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Communicated by A. Schmidt-Rhaesa.

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Crole, M.R., Soley, J.T. Contrasting morphological evidence for the presence of taste buds in Dromaius novaehollandiae and Struthio camelus (Palaeognathae, Aves). Zoomorphology 134, 499–507 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00435-015-0268-5

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00435-015-0268-5

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