English

Luis Miguel Lobo,Celina Almeida Furlanetto Mançanares,Gerlane Medeiros Costa,Ricardo Alexandre Rosa,Amilton Cesar Dos Santos,Carlos Eduardo Ambrósio,Ana Flávia Carvalho,Maria Angélica Miglino

doi:10.14393/bj-v31n6a2015-30198

Abstract

The G. microtarsus is a small marsupial belonging to the Didelphidae family and may be found mainly in the Atlantic Rainforest of the Brazilian Southeastern region. G. microtarsus has important ecological importance in the dispersion of seeds of several plant species. Current research characterizes morphologically six tongues of adult male and female specimens, which are fixed in 10% formaldehyde. The tongues were analyzed, measured and photographed in situ and ex situ . Anatomy, light microscopy and ultrastructural analysis were performed. Macroscopically the tongue has root, a fixed body and a free apex. The tongue has fungiform papillae and high conical and acute filiform papillae across the dorsal surface. It also featured three vallate papillae located at the root and marginal fungiform papillae at the apex. Microscopically, the tongue is composed of longitudinal and transversal muscle fibers. Blood vessels, nerves, serous, mucous and mixed acini are found in non-modeled connective tissue. Ventrally, the tongue is lined by a keratinized stratified pavement epithelium. The morphology of the tongue of G. microtarsus resembles that described in carnivores and marsupials Didelphidae regarding its microscopic structure, differing only in the distribution and number of papillae.

Highlights

Marsupials, such as Gracilinanus microtarsus are included among the commonly called opossums, cuícas and catitas, all of which belong to the family Didelphidae (ORR, 1986) and is a very important family among marsupials due to its high number of species (GONÇALVES et al, 2009)
Light Microscopy (LM) For microscopic analysis, the tongue was sectioned into root, body and apex, and the fragments were fixed in 10% formaldehyde solution
Macroscopic analysis The tongue of G. microtarsus extends from the oropharynx and occupies most of the oral cavity

Summary

Introduction

Marsupials, such as Gracilinanus microtarsus are included among the commonly called opossums, cuícas and catitas, all of which belong to the family Didelphidae (ORR, 1986) and is a very important family among marsupials due to its high number of species (GONÇALVES et al, 2009). Specimens of the species have body mass average between 10 and 44 grams and exhibit nocturnal and arboreal habits (EISENBERG; REDFORD, 1999; CÁCERES et al, 2008; LOBO et al, 2014). They have frugivorousomnivorous feeding habits with a very varied diet, consisting of insects, fruits and small vertebrates. Since it feeds on small fruits, G. microtarsus is a species of considerable importance in dispersing seeds of trees (LOBO et al, 2014). The processing of raw material derived from food requires several organs which constitute the digestory apparatus (LOBO et al, 2014). The tongue participates in the functional stimuli that act on the growth and development of the face (BEZERRIL et al, 2005)

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Conclusion