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Journals / Animal Health Production and Hygiene / 2026 / Cilt: 15 Sayı: 3

Morphological Evidence for a Nail-Like Structure on the Wing Digit of the White Stork (Ciconia ciconia)

Eren Ozgurcan Yavas(AYDIN ADNAN MENDERES ÜNİVERSİTESİ, SAĞLIK BİLİMLERİ ENSTİTÜSÜ, ANATOMİ (DR) (VETERİNER))0000-0003-0162-8150
Firuze Türker Yavaş(AYDIN ADNAN MENDERES ÜNİVERSİTESİ, VETERİNER FAKÜLTESİ, VETERİNER HEKİMLİĞİ TEMEL BİLİMLERİ BÖLÜMÜ)0000-0001-8651-945X
Pages
—
Publication Date
2026-09-10
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AI Summary & Key Takeaways

AI Insight
⚡ TL;DR(Too Long; Didn't Read)

To our knowledge, this is the first report of such a structure in C. ciconia, providing new anatomical evidence and a basis for future comparative and evolutionary studies.

📌 3 Key Takeaways

🎯
Objective & Hypothesis:Keratinized nail structures are typically restricted to the pedal digits of adult birds.
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Key Findings & Data:During the anatomical examination of an adult white stork (Ciconia ciconia), a keratinized nail-like structure was identified at the distal end of the third manual digit.
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Conclusion & Impact:To our knowledge, this is the first report of such a structure in C. ciconia, providing new anatomical evidence and a basis for future comparative and evolutionary studies.
🔬Design:Olgu Sunumu
📍Scope:Comprehensive Sample
⚙️Variables:Anatomi · Ciconia Ciconia · Evrim

Abstract

Keratinized nail structures are typically restricted to the pedal digits of adult birds. During the anatomical examination of an adult white stork (Ciconia ciconia), a keratinized nail-like structure was identified at the distal end of the third manual digit. Gross morphological comparison with the toenail of the domestic chicken (Gallus gallus domesticus) revealed marked similarities in shape, curvature, and keratinization, supporting its identification as a true nail. To our knowledge, this is the first report of such a structure in C. ciconia, providing new anatomical evidence and a basis for future comparative and evolutionary studies.

Özet

Keratinize tırnak yapılar, erişkin kuşlarda genellikle ayak parmaklarında (digiti pedis) bulunur. Erişkin bir ak leyleğin (Ciconia ciconia) anatomik incelemesi sırasında, üçüncü kanat parmağının (digitus manualis III) distal ucunda keratinize, tırnak benzeri bir yapı tespit edilmiştir. Evcil tavuğun (Gallus gallus domesticus) ayak tırnağı ile yapılan makroskobik morfolojik karşılaştırmada; şekil, kıvrımlanma ve keratinizasyon özellikleri bakımından belirgin benzerlikler gözlenmiş ve bu bulgular söz konusu yapının gerçek bir tırnak olarak tanımlanmasını desteklemiştir. Bildiğimiz kadarıyla bu çalışma, C. ciconia'da bu tür bir yapının varlığını ortaya koyan ilk anatomik bildirimdir. Bu bulgu, yeni morfolojik kanıtlar sunmasının yanı sıra gelecekte gerçekleştirilecek karşılaştırmalı anatomik ve evrimsel çalışmalara temel oluşturabilir.

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Cite This Article

Yavaş, F. T. (2026). Morphological Evidence for a Nail-Like Structure on the Wing Digit of the White Stork (Ciconia ciconia). Animal Health Production and Hygiene, Cilt: 15 Sayı: 3. https://doi.org/10.53913/aduveterinary.1990696

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