Preparing and Presenting a Pigeon Skeleton for Gross Anatomical Study Using Boiling Maceration Method: A Quick and Effective Method

Abstract

The study’s main objective was to prepare and display the pigeon skeleton using a practical and effective approach. Two matured domestic pigeons (Columba livia), aged 8 months old were purchased from local market, Gazipur sadar, Bangladesh for this purpose. This experiment was carried out in the department of Anatomy and Histology, Faculty of Veterinary Medicine and Animal Science in Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman Agricultural University, Gazipur, Bangladesh, in January 2021. The birds were first killed by being injected with MgSO4 directly into the hearts. After dead, they were peeled using a knife. 3% soda water solution was used to boil peeled animals for two hours. Having cooling, the bony samples were cleaned and dipped into 10% solution of bleaching water for 1 hour to avoid further growth of microorganism following washed by tap water. After drying in the sun for eight hours, the skeletal pieces were fully articulated for the skeletal frame. The whole processes were taken 2 days (33 hours). The boiling maceration method for preparation of skeleton is very effective because restrain the chance of losing small bones, requires less expenditure, time and labor. It is also visible that the bone’s original color was preserved. Extracted bones were divided into two parts, axial and appendicular skeleton. Axial skeleton comprises the bones of skull, vertebrae such as-cervical, thoracic, lumbar and sacral vertebrae (fused to form synsacrum) and coccygeal vertebrae or caudal vertebrae then ribs, costal cartilages and breast bone or keel bone. In contrast, the appendicular skeleton comprises the forelimb or wing bone like scapula, coracoid, clavicle, humerus, radius-ulna and manus. On the otherhand hindlimb or pelvic limb comprises of pelvic girdle, femur, tibio-fibula and feet bone (metatarsal and digits). In adult pigeon no developed tarsal bone. Therefore, this is the most efficient way for quickly preparing and presenting skeleton for use in studies of the avian skeletal system.