Dissertations and Theses @ UNI

Availability

Open Access Thesis

Keywords

Embryology; Embryology; Poultry;

Abstract

The objectives of this study were (1) to establish an index of standard behavior, and (2) to establish an index of skeletal development for each day of embryonic development for the bantam-chick embryo. The principal method used was direct observation of the embryo. This was done by removing the shell from the blunt end of the egg and applying a coating of vaseline to the exposed inner-shell membrane. The bones observed in skeletal development were made visible by alizarin red S stain. Behavioral activities of the bantam-chick embryo included trunk movements, head lifting, head turning, wing movements, leg movements, jerking, wriggling, membrane swaying, shuddering, bobbing, and beak openings. These activities were observed and described and their frequencies noted. Activities were not continuous through embryonic development but occurred in specific time blocks. Days 4-8 were dominated by membrane swaying and embryonic bobbing movements. Days 9-15 were dominated by limb movements, head turning, membrane swaying, and embryo bobbing. Days 16-21 were characterized by embryo wriggling, shuddering, jerking, and beak opening. Head turning and leg flexure behaviors occurred coincidentally so frequently that a stimulus-response mechanism may have been operational. The same relationship characterized membrane swaying and embryo bobbing. There appeared to be no such relationships among other observed behavioral activities.

Year of Submission

1970

Degree Name

Master of Arts

Department

Department of Biology

First Advisor

E. Russell TePaske

Second Advisor

Howard Lyon

Third Advisor

Daryl D. Smith

Comments

If you are the rightful copyright holder of this thesis and wish to have it removed from the Open Access Collection, please submit a request to scholarworks@uni.edu and include clear identification of the work, preferably with URL.

Date Original

1970

Object Description

1 PDF file (73 leaves)

Language

en

File Format

application/pdf

Included in

Biology Commons

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