Current knowledge on avian spermiogenesis, including strengths and weaknesses, has been reviewed. Information on avian spermiogenesis considerably lags behind that in mammals because of the paucity of reports in birds. Spermiogenesis in passerine birds has received even much less attention than in non-passerine birds. Mechanisms underlying morphogenesis of the acrosome and nucleus, and roles of...

We have reported a strategic procedure for the preparation of human-type N-linked oligosaccharides targeting hen egg white and yolk. To determine whether the technique is applicable to other avian species, we performed comparative analysis of N-linked oligosaccharides derived from eggs of other pheasant species. Our investigation of the principal oligosaccharides resulted in several major findi...

At a regional scale, species richness and human population size are frequently positively correlated across space. Such patterns may arise because both species richness and human density increase with energy availability. If the species-energy relationship is generated through the 'more individuals' hypothesis, then the prediction is that areas with high human densities will also support greate...

Influenza A viruses are highly infectious respiratory pathogens that can infect many species. Birds are the reservoir for all known influenza A subtypes; and novel influenza viruses can emerge from birds and infect mammalian species including humans. Because swine are susceptible to infection with both avian and human influenza viruses, novel reassortant influenza viruses can be generated in th...

Avian mycoplasmosis is an important disease of poultry of great economic importance. It is caused by four (4) pathogenic mycoplasma species namely Mycoplasma gallisepticum, Mycoplasma synoviae, Mycoplasma meleagridis and Mycoplasma iowae; although other Mycoplasma species have also been incriminated in the disease. The disease causes cough, rales, ocular and nasal discharges, decreased feed int...

This is an application for an adjuvanted, inactivated vaccine against avian influenza. This disease occurs worldwide and not only affects domestic poultry, but also infects a wide range of feral birds covering 88 species and 22 families, occurring most prolifically in migratory waterfowl. Type A influenza virus can also infect various species of mammals (including humans). The main reservoir of...

Excavations and studies of existing collections during the last decades have significantly increased the abundance as well as the diversity of the avian fossil record for Insular Southeast Asia. The avian fossil record covers the Eocene through the Holocene, with the majority of bird fossils Pleistocene in age. Fossil bird skeletal remains represent at least 63 species in 54 genera and 27 famil...

Avian influenza occurs worldwide and not only affects domestic poultry, but also infects a wide range of feral birds covering 88 species and 22 families, occurring most prolifically in migratory waterfowl. Type A influenza virus can also infect various species of mammals (including humans). The main reservoir of infection is thought to be wild ducks, gulls and shorebirds. Infections in poultry ...

Divergence of mating signals can occur rapidly and be of prime importance in causing reproductive isolation and speciation. A ring species, in which two reproductively isolated taxa are connected by a chain of intergrading populations, provides a rare opportunity to use spatial variation to reconstruct the history of divergence. I use geographic variation in the song of a likely ring species, t...

Two-hundred and two strains of avian mycoplasma species belonging to 10 biotypes were typed serologically by employing disk growth inhibition (DGI) and indirect hemagglutination (IHA) tests. These could be placed into seven serotypes, namely A (80), B (50), C (3), E (34), L (13), P (4), and 1 and R (18). The figures in parentheses show the number of strains within each type. A close relationshi...