PDFDOI: https://doi.org/10.1515/vzoo-2016-0052
Th e morphology and histological structure of two adult Brandt’s hedgehog, Paraechinus hypomelas, (Brandt, 1836) tongue were examined by light and scanning electron microscopy. On the dorsal surface of the tongue, three types of papillae were observed: fi liform, fungiform and vallate papillae. Apex and corpus of the tongue as well as the lateral surface of the corpus were covered with numerous fi liform papillae with bifurcated tip, while the epithelium lining the ventral lingual surface was free from papillae. Discoid shape fungiform papillae were scattered over the entire surface of the lingual apex, corpus and lateral surface uniformly between the fi liform ones without regional variation in number and size. Th ree elliptical or oval vallate papillae in an inverted triangle form were found on the root of the tongue. Each papilla had a lobulated and very irregular dorsal surface. Both fungiform and vallate papillae contain taste buds. Th e foliate papillae was absent. Overall, the present fi ndings reveal that despite some similarities, the lingual papillae of the Brandt’s hedgehog as an omnivore animal has spices-specifi c characteristics compare to the Erinaceous auritus as an insectivore species. This finding provides a set of basic data about the morphology of tongue and its lingual papillae in Brandt’s hedgehog.