First Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) of a complete specimen of Bruijn’s brush-turkey Aepypodius bruijnii (Aves, Megapodiidae)

The internal anatomy and morphology of Bruijns brush-turkey Aepypodius bruijnii (Oustalet, 1880) is unknown to science. When the first complete specimen-in-the-flesh of this enigmatic bird species was available to science in 2002, we took the opportunity to study the visceral anatomy with modern radiological methods (Magnetic Resonance Imaging). It was possible to perform a ‘necropsy’ by MR imaging with all untouched viscera in situ, before the specimen was skinned and preserved as a dry study skin. The well-developed muscles of the legs were clearly visible. So was the small amount of pectoral muscle. Based on these findings we could confirm the general belief that Aepypodius bruijnii goes through life as a terrestrial bird, flying only small distances. Gonads could however not be visualised by MR imaging.