Visualization of the acoustic organ of Aptenodytes forsteri (Spheniscidae, Aves) via diceCT at the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin

• Main Authors: Westphal, Natascha, Bendel, Eva-Maria, Frahnert, Sylke
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: unknown
• Published: Museum für Naturkunde Berlin (MfN) - Leibniz Institute for Research on Evolution and Biodiversity 2019
• Subjects: Aptenodytes forsteri; Spheniscidae; ear; morphology; segmentation; diceCT; Emperor penguin; Labyrinth
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.7479/c5qd-xd79; https://doi.naturkundemuseum.berlin/data/10.7479/c5qd-xd79

The videos show the digital reconstruction of ear structures of an adult specimen of the Emperor penguin (Aptenodytes forsteri). The segmentation was performed based on the CT scans of a head stored in alcohol at the ornithological collection at the Museum für Naturkunde Berlin (inventory number ZMB 1999.980). The specimen was stained with Lugol's iodine to make soft tissues visible. The visualization shows the bony ear structures as well as the external ear canal, tympanic membrane, the eustachian tube, the vestibulocochlear nerve as well as the facial nerve. Due to unspecific standard museums fixation methods the membranous labyrinth was not sufficient conserved for segmentation. The videos allow the insight into the structures from different perspectives as well as the localization in the skull. The studies are part of the project "Hearing in Penguins" funded by the Umweltbundesamt (German Environment Agency).