Morphological study by scanning electron microscopy of the lingual papillae in the common European bat (Pipistrellus pipistrellus).

There are many accounts of the tongues of mammals observed with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), but apparently only one article about the tongue of the Chiroptera. In the present study the tongue surface (after removing extracellular material) of the European common bat (Pipistrellus pipstrellus) was examined. The tongue is covered with papillae and has an elevation between its medial and posterior half. There are three types of papillae: filiform, fungiform and circumvallate, and the filiform can be classified as strictly filiform, conical and crown-like. The shapes and disposition of these papillae are related to function, which is principally to retain captured food during flight. At higher magnification the surface of the filiform papillae has many pores and microridges, which may serve for the production and distribution of mucus over the papillary surface.