Morphology of the Dorsal Lingual Papillae in the Blackbuck, Antilope Cervicapra

Okajimas Folia Anat. Jpn., 76(5): 247-254, December, 1999

Shoichi EMURA, Akira TAMADA, Daisuke HAYAKAWA, Huayue CHEN, Ryuichiro YANO and Shizuko SHOUMURA

1) College of Medical Sciences, Gifu University, Gifu, Japan 2)Department of Anatomy, Gifu University School of Medicine, Gifu, Japan

-Received for Publication,June 18,1999-

Key Words: Blackbuck, Tongue, Lingual papillae, SEM

Summary: The dorsal lingual surface of a blackbuck (Antilope cervicapra) was examined by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The tongue was about 125 mm in length. There were about 30 vallate papillae on both sides. Filiform, conical, fungiform and vallate papillae were found. The filiform papillae were distributed over the entire dorsal surface of the tongue, excepted for the lingual torus where conical papillae were present. The fugiform papillae were present rounded bodies, and more densely distributed on the tip and ventral surface of ligual apex. No foliate papillae were seen on the dorsal surface. The vallate papillae were located on both sides of the midline in the caudal part. Each papilla was surrounded by a groove. These findings indicate that the tongue of the blackbuck is similar to that of the formosan and japanese serow.

Much work has been published on the three- with 1% osmium tetroxide for 2 h. Thereafter, the dimensional structures of the lingual surfaces in specimens were dehydrated through graded series various animals. In the order Artiodactyla, there of acetone, critical-point-dried and sputter-coated have been many SEM studies of the tougues of with gold before being examined under a scanning cows (Steflik et al., 1983; Chamorro 1986; de Paz electron microscope (JSM-T300, JEOL Co., Tokyo, Cabello et al. , 1988), serows (Funato et al. , 1985; Japan) at an accelating voltage of 15 kV. Atoji et al. , 1998), swine (Kullaa-Mikkonen et aL, 1987), one humped camel (Qayyum et al., 1988), buffalo (Scala et al., 1993), lesser mouse deers Results (Agungpriyono et al., 1995) and saiga (Frey and Hofmann 1995). Such studies reveal variations in General topography morphology and distribution of papillae on the Macroscopically, the tongue of the blackbuck dorsal lingual surface among animal species. was about 125 mm long and the median groove ran However, there is no study on the SEM studies on the dorsal apex of the tongue (Fig. 1). The lin- of the tongue of the blackbuck. The purpose of this gual body had lingual torus on the posterior third study is, therefore, to examine three-dimensionally (Figs. 1, 3, 4). Fungiform papillae were round in the dorsal lingual surface of the blackbuck, in order shape and more densely distributed on the tip and to compare the results with those previous reports ventral surface of ligual apex (Figs. 1, 2). They were in other mammals. located at the region surrounding lingual torus, and larger than those located on the apex and body (Fig. 3). There was no foliate papilla. Vallate pa- Materials and Methods pillae were located on both sides of the midline in the caudal part, and each papilla was surrounded Tongue of one male blackbuck of the order Ar- by a groove (Fig. 4). There were about 30 vallate tiodactyla was used in this study. The tongue was papillae on both sides. fixed in 10% formalin. Small blocks containing papillae were cut with a razor blade, postfixed

247 248 S. Emura et al.

Scanning electron microscopy In the present study, the fungiform papillae located Filiform papillae consisted of larger main papil- at the region surrounding torus linguae were large lae and smaller secondary papillae (Fig. 5). Conical as compared with that of the apex and body. This papillae were larger than main papillae of the fili- finding coincides with report on the serows (Funato form papillae (Fig. 6). Furthermore, transitional et al., 1985;Atoji et al., 1998). forms between the filiform and conical papillae The vallate papillae surrounded by a groove were present (Fig. 6). Some vallate papillae were were round or oval in shape, and numbers of the composed by a primary papilla which was divided papillae were about 24 on both sides in the Japa- into several secondary papillae by intermediate nese and formosan serows (Funato et al., 1985; grooves (secondary papillary grooves) (Fig. 7). Atoji et aL, 1998). It was reported that a pair of long-flat vallate papillae were observed, and 5 round-flat vallate papillae in one lesser mouse deer Discussion tongue (Agungpriyono et al., 1995). 9-12 circum- vallate papillae were found at the junction of the Agungpriyono et al. (1995) reported that fili- anterior two thirds and posterior one third of the form papillae consisted of larger main papillae and tongue in one humped camel (Qayyum et al., 1988). smallar secondary papillae, and in the filiform pa- The present study showed about 30 vallate papillae pillae that the distribution of the secondary papillae on both sides, and demonstrated that some vallate in the lesser mouse deer, being present from the papillae were composed by a primary papilla which anterior part of the tongue to the end of the middle was divided into several secondary papillae by in- third and rare or absent in the posterior part, is termediate grooves. This finding coincides with the relatively restricted. Atoji et al. (1998) observed report on equine and bovine (Chamorro et aL, filiform papillae and conical papillae, and reported 1986). that the filiform papillae have secondary papillae in the formosan serow. The present study was mor- phologically similar to the formosan serow. Fur- Acknowledgements thermore, transitional forms between the filiform and conical papillae were observed. This result The authors would like to express their most suggest that there is a relationship between the fili- sincere thanks to Dr. K. Takami, Tennoji Zoologi- form and conical papillae. cal Garden for their assistance in preparing the The fungiform papillae were more densely dis- material for this study. tributed on the tip and ventral surface of lingual apex in the japanese and formosan serows, and the papillae located at the lingual torus were larger References than those located on the apex and body (Funato et 1) AgungpriyonoS, Yamada J, KitamuraN, NisaC, SigitK al., 1985; Atoji et al., 1998). At the tip of the tangue, andYamamoto Y. Morphology of the dorsallingual papil- the fungiform papillae were larger and abundant in lae in the lessermouse deer, Tragulus javanicus. J Anat the lesser mouse deer (Agungpriyono et al., 1995). 1995;187:635-640. In the present study, the fungiform papillae were 2) AtojiY, YamamotoY and SuzukiY. Morphologyof the more densely distributed on the tip and ventral tongueof a male formosanserow (Capricornis crispus surface of lingual apex. The tip of the tongue can swinhoei).Anat Histol Embryo! 1998; 27:17-19. 3) ChamorroCA, de Paz P, SnadvalJ and FernandezJG. therefore be considered as a special sense organ, Comparativescanning electron-microscopic study of the transmitting several kinds of sensory information. lingualpapillae in two speciesof domesticmammals

Explanation of Figures

Plate I

Fig. 1. Macrograph of a blackbuck tongue. Lingual median sulcus in lingual apex are visible. Fig. 2. Ventral surface of the lingual apex. Note numerous fungiform papillae than on the dorsal surface. Fig. 3. Showing the lingual torus. Arrows = fungiform papillae. Fig. 4. Macroscopic posterolateral view of the tongue of a blackbuck. Arrows indicate vallate papillae. Lingual Surface of Blackbuck 249 Plate I 250 S. Emura et al.

(Equus caballus and Bos taurus). I. Gustatory papillae. 1985; 50:205-219. Acta Anat 1986; 125:83-87. 7) Kullaa-Mikkonen A, Hynynen M and HyvOnen P. Filiform 4) de Paz Cabello P, Chamorro CA, Sandoval J and Fernan- papillae of human, rat and swine tongue. Acta Anat 1987; dez M. Comparative scanning electron-microscopic study 130:280-284. of the lingual papillae in two species of domestic mammals 8) Scala G, Pelagalli GV, Vittoria A and Girolamo P. Etude (Equus caballus and Bos talurus). II. Mechanical papillae. morpho-structurale des papilles linguales chez le buffle Acta Anat 1988; 132:120-123. (Bubalus bubalis). Anat Histol Embryol 1993; 22:264-272. 5) Frey R and Hofmann RR. Der Kopf der Saiga-Antilope 9) Steflik DE, Singh BB, Mckinney RV and Boshell JL. Cor- (Saiga tatarica tatarica Linnaeus 1766, Mammalia: Bovi- related TEM, SEM, and histological observations of fili- dae) — Ausgewahlte funktionsmorphologische Aspekte. I. form papillae of the cow tongue. Acta Anat 1983; 117:21— Speichertisen, die Mandibula und die Zunge. Zoo! Beitr 30. NF 1995; 36:169-198. 10) Qayyum MA, Fatani JA and Mohajir AM. Scanning elec- 6) Funato H, Atoji Y, Suzuki Y and Sugimura M. Morpho- tron microscopic study of the lingual papillae of the one logical studies on the tongue of wild Japanese serow, Cap- humped camel, Camelus dromedarius. J Mat 1988; ricornis crispus (in Japanese). Res Bull Fac Agr Gifu Univ 160:21-26.

Plate II

Fig. 5. SEM micrograph of the dorsal lingual surface showing the filiform and fungiform papillae of the lingual apex. m = main filiform papillae, arrows = secondary filiform papillae, * = fungiform papillae. Lingual Surface of Blackbuck 251 Plate Il 252 S. Emura et al.

Plate III

Fig. 6. SEM micrograph of the dorsal lingual surface showing the conical papillae. Note the trnsitional form between the filiform and conical papillae. * = main conical papilla, Arrow = secondary conical papillae. Fig. 7. SEM micrograph of the dorsal lingual surface showing the vallate papilla. Double arrow = primary papillary groove, Arrows = secondary papillary grooves, * = secondary papallae. Lingual Surface of Blackbuck 253

Plate III