Functional and comparative study of lingual papillae in four species of bear (ursidae) by scanning electron microscopy

Abstract

The eight current species of bear (Ursidae) are widely distributed throughout Europe, Asia, and America. They are mainly encountered in the northern hemisphere, except for the spectacled bear and the sun bear, which are also found in the south of the equator. Adaptations of the masticatory apparatus (teeth, tongue, and musculature) to diet are one of the factors that imply the greatest structural changes in the cranium. This diet may be carnivorous, herbivorous, melliferous, or insectivorous, with one type of food predominating according to the time of year. The way in which food is eaten determines the morphology of the lingual surface; generally speaking, all bears put their mouth to the food, which, initially, they lick or they let the food stick to their tongue, as occurs when insects are eaten. As in all mammals, a distinction can be made between mechanical and gustatory papillae and the development and distribution of which depend on the species and their eating habits. In this study of the complete tongues of four species of adult bears, we describe the morphology of the lingual surfaces, the different types of papillae, their characteristics, and topographic distribution. It was seen that there were five main types of lingual papillae: filiform, conical, fungiform, foliate, and vallate. Morphology of the microgrooves and pores was similar to that observed in other mammals. In general, there were no great differences among the four species of bears studied, perhaps due to the similarity in the kind of food they consume in captivity.

Gross morphology and morphometry of foetal and adult dromedary tongues

“…Moreso, the mammalian tongue is known to exhibit various morphological adaptations in different species. The distribution of the different types of papillae on the surfaces of the tongue plays a vital role in taxonomic ranking; to the extent of differentiating one genus characteristics from the other or even among different species (Pastor et al, 2011). For instance, one humped camels are adapted to desert environment and to feeding on the thorny structures around.…”

Anatomical and scanning electron microscopic studies of the tongue and lingual papillae in the chital deer (Axis axis, Erxleben 1777)

“…; Pastor et al . ). The distribution of the different papillae on the various surfaces of the tongue is characteristic of a genus and may even be distinctive among different species.…”

Morphological study of the lingual papillae in the fruit bat (Rousettus amplexicaudatus) by scanning electron microscopy and light microscopy

“…Different morphological structures of the vertebrate tongue are specialized to fulfil different functions, such as swallowing, water uptake, capturing and manipulating food, grooming, vocal modulation and suckling (Kilinc, Erdogan, Kentani, & Kentani, ; Manacarez et al, ; Pastor, Barbosa, de Paz, Garcia, & Ferrero, ). Morphological differences and variations appearing in the tongue are directly associated with dietary specializations and food type, as well as adaptations to various environmental conditions.…”