STRUCTURE AND POSTNATAL DEVELOPMENT OF THE TONGUE OF JAPANESE QUAIL

The tongue of Japanese quail showed a progressive growth pattern from day-old to 60 days of age. The tongue was arrohead shaped and was lined by stratified squamous epithelium, which was keratinized on the papillae and at the anterior two-third of the ventral surface. The well developed lamina propria in the body and root of the tongue contained compound tubulo-alveolar salivary glands of holocrine nature. Taste buds were seen mostly associated with the glandular ducts. Filiform, conical and fungiform papillae were observed on the base of the tongue. The skeleton of the tongue, formed by anterior portions of the hyoid bone, showed signs of ossification from 30 days of age. The tip of the entoglossal bone remained cartilaginous even upto 60 days of age. Skeletal muscle was found only in the base around the bone.