Studies on Tongue of Reptilian Species Psammophis sibilans, Tarentola annularis and Crocodylus niloticus

Abstract

SUMMARY:Three different reptilian species Psammophis sibilans (Order Ophidia), Tarentola annularis (Order Squamata and Crocodylus niloticus (Order Crocodylia) are used in the present study. Their tongue is removed and examined morphologically. Their lingual mucosa examined under scanning electron microscopy (SEM) as well as processed for histological investigation. Gross morphological studies revealed variations of tongue gross structure being elongated with bifurcated end in P. sibilans or triangular flattened structure with broad base and conical free border in T. annularis or rough triangular fill almost the floor cavity in C. niloticus. At SEM, the lingual mucosa showed fine striated grooves radially arranged in oblique extension with missing of lingual papillae. Numerous microridges are detected above the cell surfaces in P. sibilans. T. annularis exhibited arrangement of conical flattened filiform papillae and abundant of microridges. However in C. niloticus, the lingual mucosa possessed different kinds of filiform papillae besides gustatory papillae and widespread arrangement of taste buds. Histologically, confirmed SEM of illustrating the lingual mucosa protrusion of stratified squamous epithelium in P. sibilans and presence of apical taste buds in conical filiform papillae of T. annularis. The lingual mucosa of C. niloticus revealed different forms of both filiform and gustatory papillae.

Ultrastructural Studies on the Tongue of Some Egyptian Lizards 1-Scincine Lizards Chalcides Oscellatus and Chalcides Sepsoides (Lacertilia, Scincidae)

“…A deep bifurcation was reported in snakes and varanids [32][33][34][35]. Similar structural pattern of forked tongue was reported by [36] in Python molurus.…”

“…Similar glands are found in E. Schneideri [17], terrestrial tortoises [19], iguanid lizard O. cuvieri [21], Sphenodon [25] and in Acanthodactylus boskianus [56]. The secretion of large amounts of mucus acts as a lubricant that facilitates food movements, transport and swallowing [19,35,56,57].…”

“…Similar structural pattern of forked tongue was reported by [36] in Python molurus. The tongue is slightly bifurcated in Gekkonidae [37] but absent in turtles [20], lizards Sphenodon [26], Tarentola annularis [35], Phrynocephalus arabicus [38], in snake Psammophis sibilans [35] and in crocodilians [35,39]. In varanids and snakes the bifurcated tongue tip is associated with the transmitting of Figure 32 shows vertical section of some goblet cells rested on a basement membrane (B).…”

Histological and morphological observations on tongue of Scincella tsinlingensis (Reptilia, Squamata, Scincidae)

“…Reptiles generally have taste buds in the lingual epithelium, which is coincident with S. tsinlingensis, and the same structure can also be found in Psammophis sibilans, Tarentola annularis and Crocodylus niloticus (El-Sayyad et al, 2011). In addition, Crocodilians generally have taste buds in the oral epithelium and lingual epithelium (Ferguson, 1981), and some Testudines have taste buds in the oropharyngeal mucosa (Iwasaki and Kumakura, 1994).…”

Functional Anatomical, Histological and Ultrastructural Studies of three Chameleon Species: Chamaeleo Chamaeleon, Chamaeleo Africanus, and Chamaeleon Vulgaris

“…This agrees with Herrel et al (2001) who described that the bifurcation was almost absent in chameleons. However, de Groot et al (2004) in Python molurus, El-Sayyad et al (2011) in Psammophis sibilans, and Darwish (2012) in ptyodactylus guttatus and Stenodactylus petrii (Lacertilia, Gekkonidae), reported that the apex is bifurcated.…”