Morphological aspects of the heart of the northern rockhopper penguin (Eudyptes chrysocome moseleyi): possible implication in diving behavior and ecology?

Citation
Cm. Drabek et Y. Tremblay, Morphological aspects of the heart of the northern rockhopper penguin (Eudyptes chrysocome moseleyi): possible implication in diving behavior and ecology?, POLAR BIOL, 23(12), 2000, pp. 812-816
Citations number
28
Categorie Soggetti
Biology
Journal title
POLAR BIOLOGY
ISSN journal
07224060 → ACNP
Volume
23
Issue
12
Year of publication
2000
Pages
812 - 816
Database
ISI
SICI code
0722-4060(200012)23:12<812:MAOTHO>2.0.ZU;2-7
Abstract
We compared the heart morphology of the small, deep-diving northern rockhop per penguin to the hearts of small, shallow-diving and large, deep-diving p enguin species. The rockhopper penguin had a heart larger than expected for its body mass, and its heart weight/body weight was significantly greater than in the larger Adelie penguin. We found the rockhopper's right ventricl e weight/heart weight to be significantly greater than this relationship in both the larger chinstrap and Adelie penguins. The relationship of the rig ht to left ventricular weights in the rockhopper heart is not different to that of the large, deepest-diving emperor penguin. A larger heart in the ro ckhopper penguin might be related to its diving behavior and ecology if it contributes to diving efficiency during foraging by increasing lung perfusi on during surface recovery. This would lead to decreased surface time.