Cardiac morphological and morphometric analysis of Ardea alba

Ardea alba (Linnaeus, 1758) is a widely distributed heron species whose cardiovascular morphology remains poorly described. This study aimed to characterize the cardiac morphology and morphometry of adult A. alba. Ten specimens were analyzed using radiographic, morphometric, histological, scanning electron microscopy, and three-dimensional scanning techniques. The heart accounted for approximately 1.16% of body mass and occupied nearly half of the coelomic cavity. Histological analysis revealed the presence of Purkinje fibers in the subendothelial layer and a cardiac skeleton composed of a fibrous ring and trigone. Hyaline cartilage was present in the fibrous trigone and in the commissures of the aortic valve, whereas elastic cartilage was identified in the commissures of the pulmonary valve, representing a novel finding for cardiac structures in vertebrates. These results expand the anatomical knowledge of avian cardiology and generate new possibilities for investigating anatomical structures in other birds.