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Biology - Zoology > Vertebrate - Structure of Feathers > Flashcards

Vertebrate - Structure of Feathers Flashcards

1
Q

What are the functions of eathers?

A

Provide insulation
Colour and Form
Enable Flight

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2
Q

How did birds get from scale to feather?

A

Exaptation

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3
Q

Exaptation

A

This is a trait originating to solve one problem but is co-opted to solve a new one

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4
Q

What are the stages of feather evolution?

A

Protrusion of scales from skin forming bumps/ridges for insulation
Proto-feathers for better insulation
More elaboration with branches and barbs

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5
Q

What are the types of feather form?

A

Contour
Down
Semiplume
Flight Feathers

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6
Q

Contour Feathers

A

These cover most of the avian body providing insulation from the environment

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7
Q

What is the general struc ture of contour feathers?

A

Rachies with regularly spaced barbs branched with barbules

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8
Q

What is the rachis made of?

A

Kertain, being flattened and grooved on the underside to reduce drag in flight

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9
Q

Kertain

A

This is a naturally occuring strucutral protien found in hair, nails, feathers etc.

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10
Q

What is the surface of the contour covered in?

A

Preen oil secreted by the preen gland

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11
Q

Preen Gland

A

This secretes a mixutre of eaxes and lipids applied to the feather for water proof

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12
Q

Down Feathers

A

These are required for insulation being fine and found under tougher exterior feathers.

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13
Q

What is the structure of down feathers?

A

Have a shorter rachis with more barbules for softness and insulation, without any barbicles

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14
Q

Why is the calamus at the base important?

A

Helps in anchoring the feather to the body and nourishing it as it grows.

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15
Q

How do feathers insulate?

A

Trapping a layer of air, which is a poor heat conductor, to reduce heat loss from body

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16
Q

Semiplume Feathers

A

These have fluffy vanes with longer rachis and short barbs at the ends, important in insulation and aerodynamics

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17
Q

What is the structure of the semiplume feather?

A

Intermediate of down and contour, with rachis longer than down but shorter than contour, with denser/more flexibile barbules than contour

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18
Q

What is the branching structure of semiplume?

A

Branches are more loosely connected, as opposed to rigid and interlocked in contour, and dont contain barbicles

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19
Q

Where are semiplume feathers found?

A

Beneath contour feathers helping to fill the gap between them

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20
Q

Why is semiplume softness/flexibility important?

A

Provides more air trapping capabilites for insulation and for aerodynamic functions

21
Q

Flight Feathers

A

These are the long, stiff asymmetrically shaped but symmetrically paired pennaceous feathers on the wings or tail of bird.

22
Q

What are the features of the feather?

A

Rachis
Ramus
Barbs
Barbules
Barbicels

23
Q

Rachis

A

These are the solid, long tubular portion of the shaft.

24
Q

How does rachis improve support and structure?

A

Hollow and lightweight

25
Q

What is the molecular structure of the rachis?

A

Microfilaments of keratin packing tightly together, high calcium for strength and rigidity

26
Q

Why does keratin have high rigidity?

A

Abundant cysteines forming disulfide bonds

27
Q

Barbs

A

Individual strands of keratin extending laterally from the rachies

28
Q

Why are barbs important?

A

Provide most the surface area, creating a broad/flat surface for lift generation in flight
Most the pigments found here.

29
Q

What are the pigments produced by?

A

Melanocytes in the base of the feather

30
Q

Melanocytes

A

These are highly differentiated cell that produces melanin within melanosomes in

31
Q

Barbules

A

These are tiny hooks providing mechanical structure of the vanes giving them aerodynamic integrity

32
Q

What do barbules do to the feather?

A

Create the soft, fluffy apperance for insulation

33
Q

Babricles

A

These are hooks interlocking the barbules together

34
Q

What do the barbicels do?

A

Connect adjacent barbules creating a smooth aerodynamic surface

35
Q

How is binding of barbicels of adjacent barbules facilitated?

A

Disulfide formation in cysteine-rich regions.

36
Q

Why is barbicle maintenance of the flat plane important?

A

Reducing drag of air resistance, allowing smooth and even airflow without turbulence or eddies

37
Q

Remiges

A

These are flight feathers of the wings including the primaries, secondaries and tertiaries

38
Q

What are primary feathers important in?

A

Generation of most of hte lifting force during flight and are attached to the manus

39
Q

What is the general structure of the primaries?

A

Leading edge is narrower than the trailing edge, curving downwards sharply to reduce drag during flight

40
Q

Secondaries

A

These are shorter/more flexible being important in control of shape and wing angle

41
Q

What is the general bone structure of the wing?

A

Humerus, Radius, Ulna with innervated musculature(pectoralis major) and bone fusion ike carpometacarpus

42
Q

Carpometacarpus

A

This is the fusion of the carpal wrist bones and metacarpal hand bones.

43
Q

How can wing aspect ratio be calculated?

A

Wingspan over wing area, averaging at 7

44
Q

How many times has flight evolved?

A

four, pterosaurs, insects, birds and bats

45
Q

What similarties do all flight mechanisms ave?

A

Large wing surfaces
Efficient oxygen transport

46
Q

How might wing sturcture vary?

A

Swallows have thin wings for gliding or pheasants thick wings

47
Q

What does a high wing aspect ratio mean?

A

Long and thin, with high speed and good gliding

48
Q

How is turbulence reduced?

A

Alula

Biology - Zoology (10 decks)

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