Gas exchange in early Tinamidae development (Aves: Palaeognathae)

• Grant number: 24/05178-7
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: July 01, 2024
• End date: June 30, 2025
• Field of knowledge: Biological Sciences - Physiology - Compared Physiology
• Principal Investigator: Wilfried Klein
• Grantee: Carolina Martini de Oliveira
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Filosofia, Ciências e Letras de Ribeirão Preto (FFCLRP). Universidade de São Paulo (USP). Ribeirão Preto , SP, Brazil

Abstract

The Tinamidae family of birds are the only within Palaeognathae able to fly; despite that, these animals have the smallest heart size to body size ratio of all extant birds. Preliminary studies suggest the chance in this ratio occurs around two weeks post eclosion, though metabolic rates of these two groups in adult life are comparable. Thus, this project aims to study the progression of metabolic rates in embrios and hatchlings of a Tinamidae species, Rhynchotus rufescens, through closed respirometries at regular intervals, and eggshell morfology through microcomputed tomografy scanning.