This study was carried out on the tongues of 12 adult normal healthy Egyptian fruit bats of both sexes. The tongue is protrusible, elongated flat with a rounded apex and its wide and thickness increase gradually toward the lingual root. There are four types of lingual papillae; two mechanical and two gustatory. The tongue divided into three parts (anterior, middle and posterior), each part subdivides into three regions; two lateral regions and median region, in addition to the lingual apex to the anterior region. The lingual papillae close to the median region of the tongue were posteriorly directed toward the pharynx, while theses present on the lateral regions of the tongue are directed medioposteriorly. There are sex subtypes of the filiform papillae; three on the anterior part (small, conical and giant), two on the middle part (cornflower and leaf-like papillae) while the posterior part contain rosette shape filiform papillae, in addition to transitional papillae and conical papillae. Two gustatory papillae represented by; small number of fungiform papillae which scattered among the filiform papillae on lingual apex and two lateral regions of the anterior and middle part of tongue, while the three circumvallate papillae on the posterior part were arranged in a triangle form.

The present study represents the first definitive anatomical description of the oropharyngeal cavity of the coot Fulica atra. For this purpose, the organs of six birds were prepared to examine grossly and by SEM and stereomicroscope. The oval lingual apex had multiple overlapping branched acicular processes on its anterior and lateral border. The lingual apex and body had multiple caudally directed filiform-like papillae. By stereomicroscopy, the lingual root had a characteristic appearance and consisted of four parts. The openings of the anterior glands were present on the dorsal lingual surface of the body, while the projected papillae with wide openings of the posterior glands were present on the dorsal surface of lingual root. There was a row of caudally directed pharyngeal papillae at the caudal border of the laryngeal mound. Grossly, the pharyngeal papillae arrangement took a W-shape, while by stereomicroscopy was observed to be heart shape. The palate was divided into two regions: a small rostral non-papillary and a large caudal papillary region, but the rostral region was characterized by the presence of three longitudinal ridges. The papillary crest had two paramedian longitudinal papillary rows, which continued caudally until the beginning of the third median row. The freely distributed papillae took a caudolateral direction, while the papillae encircling the rostral part of choanal cleft took a caudomedial direction. There was a transverse papillary row between the two parts of choanal cleft. There was a transverse papillary row between the caudal border of the infundibular cleft and oesophagus.

The focus of the present study is to provide a full morphological description of the oropharyngeal cavity of the house sparrow. The head of six birds was prepared for gross examination and by stereo and electron microscopy. The bifid lingual apex has multiple long, rostrally directed needle-like processes. The lateral border of the apex carries rostromedially directed needle-like processes. The dorsal lingual surface of the apex and body carries numerous caudomedially directed filiform papillae and many orifices of lingual salivary glands. The lingual body is divided into two parts: rostral and caudal. The caudal part is divided into two laterally elevated regions by a median groove, while the rostral part is bounded laterally by a rostrodorsally directed papillary row, which on SEM is formed from two rows. On SEM, the lingual root has many orifices of posterior salivary glands. The pharyngeal papillary row is located at the caudal border of the laryngeal mound, but this single papillary row is formed from two rows at SEM magnification. The laryngeal cleft continues caudally as a laryngeal fissure bounded by two longitudinal rows of caudally directed papillae; at high SEM magnification, this fissure is divided into two halves by a median ridge which carries caudally directed papillae on its posterior part. The choanal cleft proceeds rostrally by the median tubercle. There are a small number of orifices of palatine salivary glands. The morphological characters of the oropharyngeal cavity of the sparrow confirm its adaptation to surrounding environmental conditions and available food particles.

The aim of this investigation was to describe the morphological characters of the tongue of two predatory birds with similar feeding preferences, i.e. the common kestrel and Hume's tawny owl. Descriptive information on the lingual morphology of these two birds, particularly Hume's tawny owl, is incomplete. We found that the lingual apex of the owl has an oval, concave, shovel-like form with a bifid lingual tip, while that of the kestrel has the shape of a horny tip-like spoon with a central process in addition to there being several filiform-like papillae on the dorsal surface of the apex and body. In the owl, the dorsal surface of the apex and body is subdivided into four U-shaped regions: lingual tip, two lateral regions and a median region. The two lateral regions are characterized by the presence of papillae and several openings of lingual glands, while the median region carries filiform-like papillae. In both birds, the papillary crest is located between the body and root. In the kestrel, there is an additional row of papillae rostral to crest, while in the owl there is a rostral lateral extension of papillae on the lateral lingual surface so the distribution pattern has a W-shape. In the kestrel, the posterior part of lingual body has several openings of glands, while the root lacks glands completely, although it has many taste buds. In the owl, the lingual root is folded and has a large number of gland openings. In the kestrel caudally to the glottis, there are two paramedian transverse rows of pharyngeal papillae with a pair of median huge papillae, while in the owl, there is only one transverse row of papillae. The dorsal and ventral lingual surfaces of both birds are lined with non-keratinized stratified squamous epithelium.

This work was conducted to describe the morphological characters of the tongue of Egyptian water buffalo (Bubalus bubalis). The lingual root and the dorsal middle region of apex and body in addition to the dorsal and ventral surface of lingual tip were devoided from any fungiform papillae. The lingual tip contains conical papillae only. The ventral surface of lingual apex was divided into two portions by the U-shaped fungiform line into papillary and non-papillary region. Histological investigation on the lingual surface epithelium and lamina propria submucosa reflects differences in these layers in different parts of the tongue. By SEM, there are two subtypes of filiform papillae: caudally directed papillae on dorsal surface and rostrally directed papillae on the lateral region of ventral surface of lingual apex. There are two subtypes of conical papillae: small slightly rostrally directed papillae on dorsal and ventral surface of lingual tip and large posteromedially directed papillae on dorsal surface of lingual root. The rounded circumvallate papillae consisted of round bulb surrounded by deep circular groove, which surrounded by circular pad. Higher magnification of filiform papillae indicates the presence of microcrests separated by microgrooves, and these microgrooves consisted of microrodes. The fungiform surface having micropores on the tip of elevated tubercle for taste buds pores. All these observed structures (microcrests, microgrooves, microrodes, tubercles, microridges) in a higher magnification allow animals to transport food particles through the oral cavity and help in the defensive behaviour. There are strong correlations between the tongue anatomical characteristics and its functions.

No abstract

The current observation was designed to give a complete ultrastructural description of the pecten oculi of the common ostrich (Struthio camelus). Moreover, this study represents the first attempt to measurements the elements composition of the pecten oculi using scanning electron microscope–energy dispersive X‐ray (SEM–EDX) at three regions (apical, body, and basal). To accomplish this study, eight ostrich were examined grossly and under the electron microscope. The vaned‐shaped pecten oculi consisted of three regions (apex, body, and base) with 24–25 plates. The pecten oculi was located postero‐anteriorly near to the optic nerve disc that was attached by their bases to the retina forming a slightly elevated basal border joining the bases of all pleats, while the apex was linked in a circular bridge. The pleats are separated from each other by the inter‐pleat spaces that are very clear at the base and nearly not observed at the apical part. The outer pleat's surface carried numerous prominences that pointed to the existence of numerous afferent and efferent pecteneal blood capillaries vessels. The vitreopecteneal limiting membrane separated the pecten oculi from the vitreous body. Our findings concluded that, the high number of thick pecteneal pleats was related to the diurnal activity of the common ostrich. SEM–EDX shows that the carbon percentage in the three regions is the highest that representing about half of all elements, while the oxygen percent is about one‐third; meanwhile, the lowest percentage is the sulfate at the apical region, and the calcium at the body and basal regions.

This study represents the first attempt to describe the ultra‐structural and histological features of different three age‐stages (young, mature, and adult) of rock pigeon Columba livia dakhlae captured from Egypt. The elongated tongue with round lingual apex carried a lingual nail rostrally on lingual tip. The current work gave a first record of numerous descriptions as in young and mature, small lingual nail formed from aggregation of lingual scales, but in adult, the nail formed from lingual membrane without any lingual scales. The current work gave full descriptive methods of shape, directions, and distribution of filiform‐like papillae with lingual scales among three age‐stages on dorsal surface and lateral border of apex and body. The taste buds present only on the tongue of mature and adult pigeon. The only one transverse row in young took the wide V‐shape but, wide U‐shape in mature and adult. The papillae on the papillary crest took triangular spoonful‐like shape in young and mature, but in adult take the shape of blunt tubercles. The current work was the first record of the presence of the openings of lingual glands on concave dorsal lingual surface of giant papillae and papillae of papillary crest in adult stage. The lingual membrane was thin one membrane in young and three to four layers in mature but, in adult it is well‐developed and formed from 10–11 layers. The supportive entoglossum cartilaginous was extended rostrally till the apical part.