Macroscopic and microscopic analysis of the tongue of the common opossum (Didelphis marsupialis)

Microscopy Research and Technique
Celina A F MançanaresAntônio C Assis Neto

Abstract

We performed a macroscopic and microscopic study of the tongues of common opossums, Didelphis marsupialis, from South America. We studied two males and two females. We collected morphometric data on the tongue with precision calipers. For the light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy analyses, we fixed tissue fragments in 10% formaldehyde and 2.5% glutaraldehyde, respectively. The opossum tongues averaged 5.87 ± 0.20 cm in length, 3.27 ± 0.15 cm in width at the lingual body, and 3.82 ± 0.15 cm in width at the root. The mean thickness of the lingual body was 1.8 ± 0.1 cm, and the thickness of the root was 3.82 ± 0.15 cm. Sharp filiform papillae were scattered across the entire tongue; conical filiform papillae occurred on the lingual body and tongue tip; fungiform papillae were scattered among the filiform papillae on the lingual body and tongue tip; and there were three vallate papillae at the root of the tongue. We found two strands of papillary projections in the tongue root. Despite the low variability observed in the lingual papillae, the morphological data obtained in this study may be related to the opossum's diverse food habits and the extensive geographic distribution of the species throughout America.

References

Jan 1, 1982·Acta Anatomica·W J Krause, J H Cutts
Aug 5, 2005·Microscopy and Microanalysis : the Official Journal of Microscopy Society of America, Microbeam Analysis Society, Microscopical Society of Canada·Shigenori Okada, Dean E Schraufnagel
Oct 12, 2010·Microscopy Research and Technique·Erika BrancoAna Rita De Lima
Sep 8, 2011·Microscopy Research and Technique·Erika BrancoAline Imbeloni

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Citations

Jan 25, 2019·Microscopy Research and Technique·Marian Mazeto de AroAntônio Chaves de Assis Neto
Oct 3, 2014·Okajimas Folia Anatomica Japonica·Shoichi Emura, Neveen E R El Bakary
Nov 21, 2017·Anatomia, histologia, embryologia·S ErdoğanW Pérez
May 15, 2018·Veterinary Sciences·Kavita Ranjeeta LallGary Wayne Garcia
Apr 24, 2020·Anatomical Science International·Taghreed Mohamed Nabil, Mohamed Gomaa Tawfiek

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