Author:
Bolton Amanda J.,Baldwin John,Lill Alan
Abstract
Changes in erythrocyte numbers and size, haematocrit and blood haemoglobin
concentration in noisy miner (Manorina melanocephala)
nestlings were documented from measurements taken on wild individuals during
development. Haematocrit, whole-blood haemoglobin concentration and
erythrocyte count increased during development by factors of 2.0, 2.4 and 3.5,
respectively. The increases were continuous and occurred at fairly constant
rates throughout development, but typical adult values were not attained at
fledging. Mean erythrocyte volume and mean erythrocyte haemoglobin content
decreased continuously during nestling development. The estimated 2.4-fold
increase in oxygen carrying capacity of the blood during development stemmed
primarily from the increase in erythrocyte numbers. The reduction in
erythrocyte volume would be expected to enhance oxygen delivery by increasing
oxygen-diffusion rates. This pattern of constant change in blood parameters
resembled that reported for species with standard, rather than unusually slow,
rates of nestling development. We suggest that it reflects the fact that noisy
miner nestlings grow relatively rapidly, perhaps because it reduces the
exposure of nestlings to predation.
Subject
Animal Science and Zoology,Ecology, Evolution, Behavior and Systematics
Cited by
10 articles.
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