Abstract

The study of lungs using scanning electron microscopy and corrosion cast was carried out on six female adult Kuttanad ducks. The lungs of Kuttanad ducks presented three surfaces and four borders. Among the secondary bronchi, medioventral secondary bronchi was the largest followed by medio-dorsal and latero-ventral secondary bronchi. The secondary bronchi gave rise to large freely anastomosing mass of the tubules, the tertiary bronchi or parabronchi which in turn were pierced by numerous openings which led into the spherical or ovoid spaces, the atria, underlying the parabronchial wall. The increased number of secondary bronchi proportionately increases the number of the parabronchi arising from it, which in turn led to the integrated increase in number of air capillaries and efficiency of the lungs.

Keywords : Corrosion cast, Scanning electron microscopy, Lungs, Kuttanad duck