TITLE:
Descriptive Histological Study of the Cardiovascular and Lymphatic Systems of the Cattle Egret Bubulcus ibis ibis
AUTHORS:
Andrea Alejandra Fernández-Cruz, María Guadalupe Ramírez-Muñoz, Armando Zepeda-Bastida, Samantha Jardon-Xicotencatl, Juan Ocampo-López
KEYWORDS:
Bubulcus ibis ibis, Histology, Cardiovascular System, Lymphatic System
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Veterinary Medicine,
Vol.16 No.8,
August
31,
2026
ABSTRACT: Bubulcus ibis ibis is a migratory bird with worldwide distribution and epidemiological relevance due to its capacity as a vector of pathogens transmissible to domestic animals and humans. This study describes the histological characteristics of the cardiovascular and lymphatic systems of this species, for which available morphological information is scarce. Three adult carcasses obtained incidentally in the surroundings of the University Campus of Tulancingo, Hidalgo, México, were used. Samples of the organs of interest were processed by paraffin embedding and stained with Hematoxylin-Eosin and with the Verhoeff method for elastic fibers. The most relevant findings were the abundance of elastic fibers in the aorta and pulmonary trunk, the identification of structures of undetermined nature adjacent to the common carotid arteries, not previously described in domestic birds, and structural differences in the cloacal bursa and spleen compared to reference avian species. The results provide a morphological basis for comparative, clinical, and epidemiological studies in this species.