X-ray films

This page contains streaming video (Quicktime) links to some of the cineradiographic research films of skeletal breathing kinematics in birds and alligators.

Film 1: Breathing in the Chilean tinamou Nothoprocta perdicaria

Film 1 was published as online supplementary information with:
O'Connor, P.M. and L.P.A.M. Claessens, 2005. Basic avian pulmonary design and flow-through ventilation in non-avian theropod dinosaurs. Nature 436: 253 - 256.

Film 2: Dorsoventral x-ray positive cineradiographic movie of breathing in a juvenile emu

Film 3: Lateral x-ray positive cineradiographic movie of breathing in a juvenile emu, showing the elliptical motion of sternum. Note that whole body craniocaudal displacement does contribute to the short axis of the elliptical trajectory of the sternum in several breaths.

Film 4: Lateral x-ray positive cineradiographic movie of breathing in a guinea fowl that is resting on its sternum, posterior portion of trunk in view only. No movement of the tail vertebrae or pygostyle can be observed as the posterior air sac is compressed and expanded, except when the bird vocalizes. During vocalization, the tail vertebrae are elevated during compression of the posterior air sacs.

Films 2-4 were published as supplementary information with:
Claessens, L.P.A.M. [early online view, 2008]. The skeletal kinematics of lung ventilation in three basal bird taxa (emu, tinamou, and guinea fowl). Journal of Experimental Zoology A.

More films will be added in the future. I anticipate my alligator movies to be published in the first half of 2009, after which I will also post them on this website.

No permission is needed by educators to include these materials in their lectures, or by students to include these materials in class projects. Please credit all materials to the Claessens lab and the appropriate journal where the films were published as supplementary information.

If you would like to use the scans or films for research or include them in publications, please contact us to seek permission prior to using these resources.