Abstract
Gross and histological examination of all extant families of turtles revealed that the buccopharyngeal mucosa is morphologically highly varied. The tongues of aquatic species have small lingual papillae or lack them entirely, while terrestrial species have tongues with numerous glandular papillae. The pharynx and the esophagus also have papillae in some species. These either facilitate swallowing in which case they are long, pointed, keratinized, and occur commonly in marine turtles, or they are vascular and nonkeratinized, facilitate respiratory gas exchange and are found in the Trionychidae, Dermatemyidae, and Carettochelyidae. The morphology of the buccopharyngeal mucosa of turtles reflects their diet, feeding behavior, habitat, and relationships. Convergence in the morphology of the buccopharyngeal mucosa occurs among families, especially among the Emydidae and other familes of turtles. Intergeneric parallelism is also seen within the Emydidae.
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
