Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Concept Videos

Anatomy of the Eyeball01:20

Anatomy of the Eyeball

The eye is a spherical, hollow structure composed of three tissue layers. The outer layer — the fibrous tunic, comprises the sclera — a white structure — and the cornea, which is transparent. The sclera encompasses some of the ocular surface, most of which is not visible. However, the 'white of the eye' is distinctively visible in humans compared to other species. The cornea, a clear covering at the front of the eye, enables light penetration. The eye's middle layer, the vascular tunic,...
Cranial Bones: Lateral View01:27

Cranial Bones: Lateral View

The lateral view of the cranium is dominated by temporal, sphenoid, and ethmoid bones.
The temporal bone forms the lower lateral side of the skull. The temporal bone is subdivided into several regions. The flattened upper portion is the squamous portion of the temporal bone. Below this area and projecting anteriorly is the zygomatic process of the temporal bone, which forms the posterior portion of the zygomatic arch. Posteriorly is the mastoid portion of the temporal bone. Projecting...
Cranial Bones: Superior and Posterior View01:14

Cranial Bones: Superior and Posterior View

The superior view of the cranium shows the frontal and paired parietal bones.
The frontal bone is the single bone that forms the forehead. At its anterior midline, between the eyebrows, there is a slight depression called the glabella. The frontal bone also forms the supraorbital margin of the orbit. Near the middle of this margin is the supraorbital foramen, the opening that provides passage for a sensory nerve to the forehead. The frontal bone is thickened just above each supraorbital margin,...
Bone Markings01:26

Bone Markings

Bones have various surface features that help form joints and attach to other soft tissues. Depending on the function, bone markings are categorized into articulating projections, processes for attachment, depressions, and openings.
Articulating Projections
Articulating projections are found where two bones meet to form a joint. These structures are usually found at the ends of bones. The largest articulation is a rounded projection called the head, supported by a narrow neck at the ends of...
Accessory Structures of the Eye01:17

Accessory Structures of the Eye

Optical perception, or vision, is an extraordinary sense dependent on converting light signals received via the ocular organs. These organs, known as eyes, are securely positioned within the bony cavities of the skull, called orbits. The orbits serve a dual purpose: a protective shield for the ocular globes and a stable attachment point for the soft ocular tissues. The eye's external protective mechanisms include the eyelids, which are edged with lashes that act as a barrier against foreign...
Anatomy of the Ear01:16

Anatomy of the Ear

Auditory sensation, commonly called hearing, involves the transformation of sonic waves into neural impulses facilitated by the structures of the auditory organ. The prominent, flesh-like structure on the side of the head, called the auricle, directs sound waves towards the auditory canal. The auricle is often mislabeled as the pinna, a term more aligned with mobile structures like a feline's external ear. The auditory canal penetrates the cranium via the external auditory meatus of the...

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

The signature waddle: Myology of the appendicular skeleton of the macaroni penguin (Eudyptes chrysolophus).

Anatomical record (Hoboken, N.J. : 2007)·2026
Same author

Juvenile social play and the development of socio-cognitive skills in male rats: Does everyone benefit?

Behavioural brain research·2026
Same author

Comparative Anatomy Supports the Evolution of Nocturnality in the Extinct Hawaiian Ibis Apteribis.

Integrative and comparative biology·2025
Same author

Endothermy, neuron counts, and other issues: Further remarks on neurocognitive evolution in fossil vertebrates.

Anatomical record (Hoboken, N.J. : 2007)·2025
Same author

Homing and feral pigeons differ in hippocampal formation neuron size: a Golgi study.

Brain structure & function·2025
Same author

Zebrin II Expression in the Cerebellum of a Passerine Bird Species: Zebra Finch (<italic>Taeniopygia castanotis</italic>).

Brain, behavior and evolution·2025

Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 20, 2026

Dissection, Immunohistochemistry and Mounting of Larval and Adult Drosophila Brains for Optic Lobe Visualization
11:29

Dissection, Immunohistochemistry and Mounting of Larval and Adult Drosophila Brains for Optic Lobe Visualization

Published on: April 28, 2021

Optic foramen morphology and activity pattern in birds.

Margaret I Hall1, Andrew N Iwaniuk, Cristián Gutiérrez-Ibáñez

  • 1Department of Physiology, Arizona College of Osteopathic Medicine, Midwestern University, Glendale, AZ, USA. margaretihall@yahoo.com

Anatomical Record (Hoboken, N.J. : 2007)
|September 25, 2009
PubMed
Summary

Bird optic foramen size can predict activity patterns. Nocturnal species have smaller optic foramina than diurnal species, offering insights for fossil studies.

More Related Videos

4-Dimensional Imaging of Zebrafish Optic Cup Morphogenesis
07:26

4-Dimensional Imaging of Zebrafish Optic Cup Morphogenesis

Published on: May 26, 2021

A Highly Reproducible and Straightforward Method to Perform In Vivo Ocular Enucleation in the Mouse after Eye Opening
05:29

A Highly Reproducible and Straightforward Method to Perform In Vivo Ocular Enucleation in the Mouse after Eye Opening

Published on: October 6, 2014

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 20, 2026

Dissection, Immunohistochemistry and Mounting of Larval and Adult Drosophila Brains for Optic Lobe Visualization
11:29

Dissection, Immunohistochemistry and Mounting of Larval and Adult Drosophila Brains for Optic Lobe Visualization

Published on: April 28, 2021

4-Dimensional Imaging of Zebrafish Optic Cup Morphogenesis
07:26

4-Dimensional Imaging of Zebrafish Optic Cup Morphogenesis

Published on: May 26, 2021

A Highly Reproducible and Straightforward Method to Perform In Vivo Ocular Enucleation in the Mouse after Eye Opening
05:29

A Highly Reproducible and Straightforward Method to Perform In Vivo Ocular Enucleation in the Mouse after Eye Opening

Published on: October 6, 2014

Area of Science:

  • Paleontology
  • Comparative Anatomy
  • Evolutionary Biology

Background:

  • The optic nerve transmits visual information from the retina to the brain.
  • Optic foramen size in birds often correlates with optic nerve size.
  • This relationship may link optic foramen morphology to species' activity patterns (nocturnal vs. diurnal).

Purpose of the Study:

  • To investigate if optic foramen morphology can predict avian activity patterns.
  • To determine if optic foramen size is a reliable indicator for nocturnal versus diurnal species.
  • To assess the utility of optic foramen morphology for inferring activity patterns in fossilized birds.

Main Methods:

  • Described four optic foramen morphologies across 177 bird families.
  • Measured optic foramen diameter, head length, orbit depth, and sclerotic ring inner diameter.
  • Utilized regression analyses and comparative methods to compare nocturnal and diurnal species.

Main Results:

  • Identified one optic foramen morphology suitable for activity pattern analysis.
  • Found significant differences in relative optic foramen diameter between nocturnal and diurnal species.
  • Nocturnal species consistently showed smaller relative optic foramen diameters than diurnal species.

Conclusions:

  • Optic foramen diameter, relative to sclerotic ring or orbit diameter, can predict a bird's activity pattern.
  • This finding provides a method for inferring activity patterns in extinct birds using fossilized remains.
  • Optic foramen morphology is a valuable trait for paleoecological reconstructions.