Macroscopical anatomy of the air sacs of the turkey

Because of its physiological importance in the rapid growth rate of birds and the continous air flow that provided it the lungs in both inspiration and expiration, the present study was performed to examine the air sac system on twelve mature turkeys of both sexes and different weight . Seven air sacs were demonstrated associated with the two lungs and characteristic for the turkey. They comprised; the single composite cervicoclavicular air sac and the paired medial clavicular, thoracic and abdominal air sacs. The cervicoclavicular air sac closed partially the thoracic inlet and aerated the coracoid, the clavicle, the sternum, the sternal ribs and most of the vertebral column. The medial clavicular air sacs were the smallest ones, characteristic in the turkey and connected with the preceeding air sac with several small ducts on each side. The thoracic air sac related to the last two ribs, cranially and the abdominal wall, caudally. The medial clavicular and thoracic airsacs had no diverticula and aerated no bones. The paired abdominal air sacs were the largest, interwoven with the abdominal organs and gave off the femoral, perirenal and iliolumbar diverticula as well as the unique pericloacal diverticula dorsolateral to the cloaca on both sides. The abdominal air sacs aerated the synsacrum and the ilium but did not ventilated the femur or any bone of the leg.