Tail myology and flight behaviour: Differences between caracaras, falcons and forest falcons (Aves, Falconiformes)

MOSTO, MARÍA CLELIA; PICASSO, MARIANA BEATRIZ JULIETA; MONTES, MARTÍN MIGUEL; KRONE, OLIVER

ACTA ZOOLOGICA

WILEY-BLACKWELL PUBLISHING, INC

Año: 2020 vol. 101 p. 292 - 301

0001-7272

Caracaras, falcons and forest falcons, which are representative of the three subfamilies of the family Falconidae, have different flight behaviour. Since, during flight, the tail works in coordination with the wings, the tail muscles could be indicative of the type of flight behaviour. The aim of this work was to describe in detail the little-known tail muscles of the Falconidae and to explore their possible association with this different behaviour, by using the muscle mass as an indicator. To this end, the tail muscles of 18 specimens representing the three subfamilies of Falconidae were dissected, weighed and their percentage to the body mass calculated. The possible differences in tail muscle mass between Falconinae and Polyborinae were explored with a Bayesian statistical approach. In all species, the muscles depressor caudae and levator caudae had the highest mass values (0.028%?0.329% and 0.120%?0.274%, respectively), in accordance with the key movements performed during flight, that is, the tail depression and elevation. The total muscle masses of Falconinae and those of Polyborinae were significantly different (p