Morphology of the dorsal lingual papillae in the blackbuck, Antilope cervicapra.

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.