Egyptian Fauna Research Articles

Predicting the Invasion Range of the Common Myna, Acridotheres tristis Linnaeus, 1766 in Egypt under Climate Change

The common myna bird (Acridotheres tristis Linnaeus, 1766) is widely recognized as one of the most formidable invasive avian species globally. The bird poses significant challenges due to its ability to outcompete a variety of native cavity-nesting birds. Additionally, the common myna is a notable agricultural pest and a substantial threat to indigenous biodiversity. The current study is focused on understanding the distribution pattern of the common myna (Acridotheres tristis Linnaeus, 1766) in Egypt and the significant favorable conditions to predict the invasion scale of the bird to the Egyptian fauna. To determine the environmental variables influencing the invasion range of the common myna in Egypt, a Species Distribution Model (SDM) was employed. The current work documented 117 invasion sites of the species from February to December 2023. The predicted habitats are mainly concentrated close to the Nile Delta of Egypt, the Suez Canal region, North and South Sinai, in addition to scattered areas on the Red Sea coast, along the riverbanks of Upper Egypt, in addition to a few northwestern areas of the Western Desert. The most significant environmental factors affecting the establishment were the Minimum Temperature of the Coldest Month, the Mean Temperature of the Coldest Quarter, and Elevation. The current invaded areas comprise about 0.8% of Egypt (8240 km2 out of roughly one million km2). We found that this is significant and of concern due to the expectation of increasingly favourable conditions due to global warming; this will turn this invasive species into a real threat to Egyptian ecosystems due to its aggressive competition with native cavity-nesting birds, its impact as an agricultural pest, and its potential to disrupt local biodiversity.

Checklist of monogeneans from Egyptian marine fishes, including some newly collected species.

A checklist of 113 monogenean species parasitizing marine fishes (60 species) from different localities in Egypt is provided. The list is supplemented by eight newly collected monogenean species from Red Sea fishes, off Safaga and El-Quseir. Five of these species are new Egyptian records: Calydiscoides euzeti Justine, 2007, Calydiscoides rohdei Oliver, 1984, Lethrinitrema austrosinense (Li & Chen, 2005) Sun, Li & Yang, 2014, Pseudohaliotrema sphincteroporus Yamaguti, 1953, and Pentatres sphyraenae Euzet & Razarihelisoa, 1959. Furthermore, Lutjanus ehrenbergii (Peters), Lethrinus nebulosus (Forsskål), Lethrinus mahsena (Forsskål), Siganus stellatus (Forsskål), and Sphyraena flavicauda Rüppell represent new host records. The current study also lists nine monogenean species from the Gulf of Aqaba for which the coordinates of the sampling localities were not clearly defined, but which could also belong to the Egyptian fauna as the gulf is part of the Red Sea basin. Dactylogyrus aegyptiacus Ramadan, 1983 is transferred to Ecnomotrema Kritsky, 2023 as E. aegyptiacum (Ramadan, 1983) n. comb. Entobdella aegyptiacus Amer, 1990, Polylabroides aegyptiacus Mahmoud & Shaheed 1998, Gotocotyla sigani Abdel Aal, Ghattas & Badawy, 2001, Neohexostoma epinepheli Abdel Aal, Ghattas & Badawy, 2001, Neothoracocotyle commersoni Abdel Aal, Ghattas & Badawy, 2001, Acleotrema maculatum Morsy, El Fayoumi & Fahmy, 2014, Diplectanum harid Morsy, El Fayoumi, Al Shahawy & Fahmy, 2014, and Pseudorhabdosynochus chlorostigma Morsy, El Fayoumi, Al Shahawy & Fahmy, 2014, are considered species inquirendae. Paranaella diplodae Bayoumy, Abd El-Hady & Hassanain, 2007 is considered incertae sedis. Allencotyla lutini El-Dien, 1995 and Lamellodiscus diplodicus Bayoumy, 2003 are regarded as nomina nuda.

Parasitoid wasps (Ichneumonoidea) collected from faba bean fields, Kharga Oasis, New Valley, Egypt, with new records and the description of a new species.

A faunistic inventory of ichneumonoid wasps collected from faba bean fields (Vicia faba L.) in Kharga Oasis, New Valley, Egypt is presented. Fourteen species of Braconidae in 11 genera and five subfamilies (Aphidiinae, Braconinae, Euphorinae, Microgastrinae, and Opiinae); and six ichneumonid species in five genera and three subfamilies (Campopleginae, Diplazontinae, and Ichneumoninae) were collected and identified. Among those, three genera Barichneumon Thomson, and Virgichneumon Heinrich (Ichneumoninae, Ichneumonidae), and Centistes Haliday (Euphorinae, Braconidae), and five species: Cotesia icipe Fernndez & Fiaboe, 2017 (Microgastrinae) (Braconidae), Diadegma trochanteratum (Thomson, 1887), and Sinophorus tibialis Sanborne, 1984 (Campopleginae), Barichneumon bilunulatus (Gravenhorst, 1829), and Virgichneumon callicerus (Gravenhorst, 1820) (Ichneumoninae, Ichneumonidae) are new records to the Egyptian fauna. A new species, Trioxys khargaiensis Gadallah & Edmardash (Aphidiinae: Braconidae) is described and illustrated. A faunistic list comprising diagnostic characters and distribution in the Middle East and North Africa is provided. Illustrations of species characters are also provided.

Kasimovian (late Pennsylvanian) cornute rugose corals from Egypt: taxonomy, facies and palaeogeography of a cool-water fauna from northern Gondwana

A strongly endemic Upper Pennsylvanian (Kasimovian) rugose coral association consisting of small, mostly non-dissepimented, simple structured and poorly diversified species is studied from the lower member of the Aheimer Formation (Western side of the Gulf of Suez, Egypt). The unit is composed of grey, silty mudstone intercalated with thin, ferruginous, silty dolostone–limestone and calcareous siltstone beds. Ten taxa from four families were identified. Four species of the Antiphyllinae are new; Actinophrentiscrassithecata n. sp., Lytvolasmaaheimerensis n. sp., L.paraaucta n. sp. and Monophyllumgalalaensis n. sp. Besides, Rotiphyllumexile de Groot, 1963 and Bothrophyllumokense Kossovaya, 2001 were identified; four taxa remain in open nomenclature (Lytvolasma cf. canadense, Zaphrentites cf. parallela, Zaphrentites sp. and Ufimia sp.). Rejuvenation, encrustation and bioerosion phenomena are rare. Attachment structures during mature stages are not evident; attachment scars in the apical parts are also rare. Growth patterns and embedding in the muddy deposits indicates that the corals lived as mudstickers in soft substrate. Recrystallization, dolomitization and ferrugination of open pore spaces inside the corals are the most common diagenetic features. The corals from the lower Aheimer Formation represent a typical cyathaxonid fauna that was adapted to high clastic input and turbid waters in a restricted, sheltered, episodically storm-swept inner ramp environment in an embayment of the southern shelf of the Palaeotethys. A time-averaged ramp model shows a regressive development from a mixed carbonate–siliciclastic open inner ramp setting during the Moscovian to the restricted inner ramp of the lower Aheimer Formation (Kasimovian) and following peritidal to fluvial environments of the Gzhelian. General and local palaeoclimatic considerations indicate cooling. Besides relations to northern Spain that root Egypt in the western Palaeotethys, connections existed via the Donets Basin (and the southern Urals) to the Cordilleran–Arctic–Uralian realm which is a cool water province during the Lower and Middle Permian. The Egyptian fauna appears to be a precursor of the anti-tropical cyathaxonid fauna of the latter time slice and also of the Lower Permian cool-water faunas of the east Cimmerian peri-Gondwana terranes.

The first record of Sarcophaga ruficornis Fabricius, 1794 (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) from Egypt: flesh flies of medical interest

In this study, Sarcophaga ruficornis Fabricius, 1794 (Diptera: Sarcophagidae) is recorded for the first time from the Egyptian fauna. The identification was confirmed using integrative approach of morphology and molecular technique.

The First Record of Ero aphana (Araneae: Mimetidae) in Egypt

Sawers, M.A.R., S.M.O. El-Bishlawy, M.F. Hassan and G.M.S. Sallam. 2023. The First Record of Ero aphana (Araneae: Mimetidae) in Egypt. Arab Journal of Plant Protection, 41(1): 15-17. https://doi.org/10.22268/AJPP-41.1.015017 This investigation presents a new record, Ero aphana (Walckenaer, 1802) (Araneae: Mimetidae) in the Egyptian fauna. It was found in the Experimental Station of the Faculty of Agriculture, Cairo University, Giza Governorate, Egypt on grapefruit trees (Citrus paradise) on October 1, 2018. Six Specimens; one male and five Juveniles of E. aphana were collected and identified. In addition, notes on the description, environmental conditions and collection data of this species are given. Photos of general habitus and palpal organ of the male and measurements of leg segments are illustrated. Keywords: Araneae, Mimetidae, Ero aphana, new record, Egypt

First record of the subfamilies Brachistinae and Helconinae (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) for the fauna of Egypt, with the description of a new species

The subfamilies Brachistinae Foerster, 1863 and Helconinae Foerster, 1863 (Hymenoptera; Braconidae) are recorded for the first time for the Egyptian fauna. Each of them is represented by a single species of the genera Triaspis Haliday, 1835, and Helconidea Viereck, 1914, respectively. A new species, Triaspis aegyptiaca Gadallah & Edmardash sp. nov. is described and illustrated. The specimens were collected from Cairo and North Sinai. Ochradenus baccatus (Resedaceae), and Pinus halepensis (Pinaceae) are the first plant-association reports for T. aegyptiaca and H. dentator, respectively. http://www.zoobank.org/urn:lsid:zoobank.org:act:108A1359-279F-4B22-B41C-77E5B225C662

Scanning electron microscopic and histological features of the oral cavity of the Egyptian tortoise (Testudo kleinmanni).

This investigation was led to depict the structural and functional adaptations of the oral cavity of herbivorous Egyptian tortoises using scanning electron and light microscopes. The SEM showed that the triangular papillary tongue possessed three conical papillary subtypes: the rectangular conical on the tip, the round conical on the rest of the dorsal lingual surface and the elongated conical on the caudal portion of the lingual wing. The presence of the serrated lips with their valves compensated for the absence of the teeth. The rostral part had a vomeronasal opening while the middle part had the choana, but the caudal part had numerous openings of the salivary glands. There are three palatine folds: a single median palatine fold, two peripheral palatine folds and the choanal fold. The current histological results show the keratinized dorsal lingual surface, in which the keratinized layer extended to cover the papillae. Two types of lingual glands, according to their position, are papillary superficial and deep lingual glands. Papillary or superficial glands open in the interpapillary spaces via narrow openings, while the deep glands are surrounded by well-developed muscles and open via wide openings on the dorsal lingual surface. An entoglossal cartilaginous structure of hyaline cartilage was found in the mid- and hindtongue, with numerous chondrocytes lodged within the lacunae. Our results conclude that the oral cavity of the herbivorous Egyptian tortoise was adapted to the dietary and vigorous demands of the Egyptian fauna.

Biodiversity of the philanthine wasps in the Middle Eastern and North African countries with special reference to the Egyptian fauna (Apoidea: Crabronidae: Philanthinae)

ABSTRACT An updated checklist of the species of the subfamily Philanthinae in the Middle Eastern and North African countries with special reference to Egypt is provided here. The list includes 176 and 47 valid species and subspecies, respectively, in four genera: Cerceris (131 species, 38 subspecies), Philanthinus (3 species), Philanthus (27 species, 9 subspecies), and Pseudoscolia (15 species). Distributions, both in the Middle East and North Africa, and distributional maps are provided for each species whenever available. In Egypt, the subfamily Philanthinae is represented by 56 species, of which the presence of the following species is questionable and considered to be doubtful records: Cerceris dispar Dahlbom, C. leucochroa Schletterer, C. quadricincta (Panzer), C. schmiedeknechti Kohl, C. specularis A. Costa, Philanthus sulphureus F. Smith, and P. venustus (Rossi), and the two subspecies, P. triangulum diadema (Fabricius), and P. triangulum obliteratus Pic.

Lepidoptera of Egypt Part III: Revision of Family Sphingidae (Bombycoidea)

Sphingidae, Hawk moths, sphinx moths, bee moths or hummingbird moths; are belonging to the Superfamily Bombycoidea, with about 1400 species recorded around worldwide. It is best represented in the tropics, but species are found in every region. They are moderate to large in size and are distinguished among moths for their agile and sustained flying ability, similar enough to that of hummingbirds as to be reliably mistaken for them. Their narrow wings and streamlined abdomens are adaptations for rapid flight. In Egypt, there is no revision since 2005, the 1^st study done in 1985 and during last this study the family Sphingidae classified under superfamily Sphingoidea, during this study seven species under seven genera were recorded. Then, in 2005 Sphingidae was revised again and nine species under seven genera were recorded. Meanwhile during this study after the complete revision for this family was done and Sphingidae was transferred from superfamily Sphingoidea into superfamily Bombysoidea. Up to date in Egypt Sphingidae is not rich family of Lepidoptera, it is only present with 12 species belonging to 7 Genera under 2 subfamilies. 1^st Subfamily (Sphinginae) represented by 3 species under 2 genera only; while the 2^nd subfamily (Macroglossinae) represented by 9 species under 5 genera. The rich genus is <i>Hyles</i> and represented by 4 species. <i>Acherontia styx</i> (Westwood, 1848) is recorded as new record to the Egyptian fauna.

A review of tangle-veined flies (Nemestrinidae, Diptera) in Egypt.

The Egyptian fauna of the genus Nemestrinus Latreille, 1802 is revised. In 1967, Steyskal and El-Bialy listed 12 species from the region, but only six species are now recognized. The primary type specimens of the species N.aegyptiacus (Wiedemann, 1828), N.rufipes (Olivier, 1810), and N.lateralis Wiedemann, 1828 (N.lateralis being a synonym of N.rufipes) deposited in the Museum für Naturkunde, Berlin, Germany were examined. Two species (N.abdominalis Olivier, 1811 and N.fascifrons (Bigot, 1888) are placed as new synonyms of N.ater (Olivier, 1811), and N.ruficornis Macquart, 1840 is synonymized with N.rufipes (Olivier, 1811). Nemestrinusjullieni (Efflatoun, 1925) is confirmed as a synonym of N.aegyptiacus. Furthermore, three species (N.caucasicus Fischer, 1806, N.pallipes (Olivier, 1811), and N.persicus Lichtwardt, 1909) have been removed and are doubtful records from Egypt. A key to the species, lists of specimens examined, and Illustrations and distributions for each species are provided. The status of species of doubtful occurrence in Egypt is discussed.

Revision of the Antlions of The Genus Creoleon Tillyard, 1918 from Egypt

The Egyptian fauna of the genus Creoleon is revised. Seven species are recognized. A key to the Egyptian species with illustrations of the genitalia of the available species is included. Also, lists of material examined and distribution are provided for each species. The status of Creoleon africanus (Rambur); a doubtful species is discussed

Ultrastructural comparison between the tongue of two reptilian species endemic in Egyptian fauna; Bosc's fringe-toed lizard Acanthodactylus boskianus and Sinai fan-fingered gecko Ptyodactylus guttatus.

The current observations focused on the ultrastructure comparison between the tongue of two reptile species endemic the Egyptian fauna; Bosc's fringe-toed lizard Acanthodactylus boskianus and Sinai fan-fingered gecko Ptyodactylus guttatus to exhibit the relationship between the lingual epithelium and its function according to their specific feeding strategy. A. boskianus possessed triangular elongated tongue with bifurcated tapering apex and wide base while; the P. guttatus had a triangular flattened tongue with conical shallow bifurcated apex and broad base. The ventral surface of the lingual apex of A. boskianus had transverse while in P. guttatus had two oval pads and median ventral groove. Both surfaces of the tongue of both examined species are covered by stratified squamous epithelium with great variability of degree of keratinization. The dorsal epithelium formed flattened and conical filiform papillae in A. boskianus, while in P. guttatus formed cylindrical papillae, conical, and tall filiform ones. Few taste buds are observed on the fore-tongue but increase on the mid-tongue of A. boskianus, while in P. guttatus, numerous taste buds are distributed on the fore-tongue and mid-tongue. Both surfaces of the laryngeal mound of both examined species provided with numerous of cilia and orifices of laryngeal gland. The present results confirmed that the tongue of A. boskianus acts as a chemoreceptor organ to follow pheromone trails of prey and mates. While in P. guttatus the tongue may play an important role in the feeding mechanism and act as a chemoreceptor organ.

Finding Truths among the “Lies”: Fact-Checking Herodotus’s Egypt in the Long Eighteenth Century

This article treats the reception history of Herodotus—reputed to be both “the father of history” and “the father of lies”—between about 1670 and 1850. It focuses attention on book 2 of The Histories, in which Herodotus offers an extensive, and ostensibly firsthand, account of the monuments, geography, customs, flora, and fauna of Egypt. Most arrestingly for modern European readers, book 2 also contains descriptions of Egyptian religious practices and a chronology of Egyptian kings. Crucially, however, much of what Herodotus reports on these two subjects he learned not directly, but by listening to accounts of men whom he labeled “Egyptian priests.” In the eighteenth century in particular, I argue, these “priests” and their indirect testimony began to pose a serious historiographical problem: had Herodotus, naively, trusted them too much? If so, was his credibility with respect to the other contents of the “oriental” prelude to The Histories (books 1–4) impugned? The essay shows that, while some skeptics, and especially philhellenes, favored relegating books 1–4 entirely to the status of myth, “orientalists,” and especially those eager to save the credibility of the Old Testament, defended Herodotus. Their faith in him, I conclude, kept alive belief in the possibility of reconstructing Near Eastern antiquity before the great age of decipherments and archaeological finds began.

CULICINE MOSQUITOES (DIPTERA: CULICIDAE) COMMUNITIES AND THEIR RELATION TO PHYSICOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THREE BREEDING SITES IN EGYPT

Mosquitoes have diverse species and global distribution. Most freshwater bodies support different mosquito species breeding. The physicochemical characteristics of mosquito breeding sites may influence culicine species distribution and their abundance. This study aimed to determine culicine species communities and their abundance in two rural sites and one urban breeding site in Egypt considering physicochemical characteristics of breeding places. These areas were Al-Beshlawy drainage canal (Giza), El-Khartoum irrigation ditch (Beheira), and Tanta man-made ground hole (Gharbia), respectively. The measured physicochemical parameters were temperature, pH, salinity, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, and nitrite. Diversity indices (recorded number of species, diversity, equitability, and concentration of dominance) of mosquitoes were also calculated. The results showed that six culicine species were identified in the tested three breeding sites. These were Culex pipiens, Cx. univittatus, Cx. antennatus, Cx. quinqueifasciatus, Cx. perexiguus, and Culiseta longiareolata. All species are native to the Egyptian fauna. In all tested urban and rural breeding sites, Cx. pipiens was considered eudominant. Bray-Curtis dissimilarity in the culicine community between the tested sites ranged between 0.03 and 0.12. This dissimilarity may be attributed to the absence of certain species in some sites, as well as the significant difference in the abundance of Cx. pipiens and Cs. longiareolata among the sites. Water salinity and dissolved nitrite content differed significantly among the breeding sites. The multiple regression analysis between the identified culicine species and the physicochemical parameters showed that salinity, nitrite content, turbidity, and pH are considered key factors to predict some culicine species in water bodies.

CULICINE MOSQUITOES (DIPTERA: CULICIDAE) COMMUNITIES AND THEIR RELATION TO PHYSICOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS IN THREE BREEDING SITES IN EGYPT

Mosquitoes have diverse species and global distribution. Most freshwater bodies support different mosquito species breeding. The physicochemical characteristics of mosquito breeding sites may influence culicine species distribution and their abundance. This study aimed to determine culicine species communities and their abundance in two rural sites and one urban breeding site in Egypt considering physicochemical characteristics of breeding places. These areas were Al-Beshlawy drainage canal (Giza), El-Khartoum irrigation ditch (Beheira), and Tanta man-made ground hole (Gharbia), respectively. The measured physicochemical parameters were temperature, pH, salinity, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, and nitrite. Diversity indices (recorded number of species, diversity, equitability, and concentration of dominance) of mosquitoes were also calculated. The results showed that six culicine species were identified in the tested three breeding sites. These were Culex pipiens, Cx. univittatus, Cx. antennatus, Cx. quinqueifasciatus, Cx. perexiguus, and Culiseta longiareolata. All species are native to the Egyptian fauna. In all tested urban and rural breeding sites, Cx. pipiens was considered eudominant. Bray-Curtis dissimilarity in the culicine community between the tested sites ranged between 0.03 and 0.12. This dissimilarity may be attributed to the absence of certain species in some sites, as well as the significant difference in the abundance of Cx. pipiens and Cs. longiareolata among the sites. Water salinity and dissolved nitrite content differed significantly among the breeding sites. The multiple regression analysis between the identified culicine species and the physicochemical parameters showed that salinity, nitrite content, turbidity, and pH are considered key factors to predict some culicine species in water bodies.

Retinal characterization in the eyes of two bats endemic in the Egyptian fauna, the Egyptian fruit bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus) and insectivorous bat (Pipistrellus kuhlii), using the light microscope and transmission electron microscope

Bats are the only mammals that can fly in the dark without eye usage. This study was conducted to describe the structural and functional adaptations of the retina of two bats very common in the Egyptian fauna having a different lifestyle: the Egyptian fruit bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus) and insectivorous bat (Pipistrellus kuhlii). Seven eyes were collected from adult individuals of each species. Examination of the retina using a light microscope and a transmission electron microscope was carried out. The retina of P. kuhlii was thicker than that of R. aegyptiacus, which had many projections extended from the choroid layer into retina forming papillae. Despite rods being dominant in retinae of both species, cone photoreceptors were encountered in both retinae. The outer plexiform layer of R. aegyptiacus was arranged into islets between the outer nuclear layer produced differences in its thickness. However, the retina of P. kuhlii showed a normal arrangement of retinal structure. The retinal pigment epithelium of both bat species consists of a single layer of the cuboidal cells with a round to oval vesicular nuclei, which showed a lack of pigmentation in R. aegyptiacus and poor pigmentation in the P. kuhlii. In conclusion, our investigation detected many structural and ultrastructural differences between the two bat species. The presence of many projections protruded from the choroid layer of R. aegyptiacus retina is considered the most characteristic difference between the retinae of R. aegyptiacus and P. kuhlii.

Isolation, molecular characterization of indigenous Beauveria bassiana isolate, using ITS-5.8\u2009s rDNA region and its efficacy against the greatest wax moth, Galleria mellonella L. (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) as a model insect

The entomopathogenic fungi (EPF), as a biological control agent, can provide an alternative option for high-risk insecticides. Beauveria bassiana is one of the most potential EPF of pest control all over the world. The EPF isolate Y-F_ITS1 was isolated from Egyptian fauna on Beauveria-specific selective medium (BS medium). Molecular screening of the B. bassiana isolate, using PCR amplification with B. bassiana-specific primers and nucleotide sequence analysis of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region, confirmed the isolate as B. bassiana (accession no. [MK773644.1]). Efficacy of the isolate Y-F_ITS1 was examined against fourth instar larvae of Galleria mellonella L. as a model insect using concentrations from 104 to 107 spores ml−1 in a contact toxicity assay under laboratory conditions. The pathogenicity experiment showed that all the tested concentrations caused mortalities ranged from 75 to 98.33%, within 5 days posttreatment with cumulative mortalities, reached 100%, before 7 days with typical symptoms of infection and sporulation. Further investigations are needed to prove its efficacy against different economic pests as a credible candidate of integrated pest management (IPM) program.

First record of Hormiini Förster, 1863, and Macrocentrinae Förster, 1863 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) for the fauna of Egypt, with the description of a new species

The tribe Hormiini Förster, 1863, and subfamily Macrocentrinae Förster, 1863 (Hymenoptera: Braconidae) are recorded for the first time for the Egyptian fauna. Hormiini is represented by five species in two genera, Avga Nixon, 1940, with a single new species, A. sinaitica Edmardash Gadallah; and Hormius Nees, 1819 (4 species), H. moniliatus (Nees, 1811), H. propodealis (Belokobylskij, 1989), H. sculpturatus Tobias, 1967, and H. similis Szépligeti, 1896. One species of Macrocentrinae, Macrocentrus collaris (Spinola, 1808) is also reported here. The specimens were collected from different localities of Egypt.

Anatomical features of the tongue of two chiropterans endemic in the Egyptian fauna; the Egyptian fruit bat (Rousettus aegyptiacus) and insectivorous bat (Pipistrellus kuhlii)

The current study aimed to investigate the tongue (lingual) morphometry, histology, and histochemistry of two chiropterans endemic in the Egyptian fauna, and having different feeding preferences. The tongues of nine adult individuals of each species were utilized in our investigation. The tongue of fruit-eating bat was observed relatively longer than the one of insect-eating bat. Grossly, the insect-eating bat had a lingual prominence on the dorsum of lingual body, while the fruit-eating bat had a concave midline over the lingual body. Histologically, numerous forms of lingual papillae were scattered along the dorsal epithelium of the tongue. The lingual papillae of the fruit-eating bat seem to be well adapted for piercing the skin of a fruit and liquid sap retention. The lingual glands of both species were lodged in the muscular layer. Two main sets were identified; the serous von Ebner's gland usually seen accompanied by the circumvallate papillae and Weber's gland with mixed mucoserous secretions. Von Ebner's gland showed more prominent acidic mucins, while Weber's gland expressed neutral mucins. The lingual epithelium of the fruit-eating bat had an outer covering of cornified non-nucleated epithelium. On the other hand, the insect-eating bat had an outer covering of nucleated epithelium. It is for the first time to record the existence of the entoglossal plates of both species which consisted of a bony core in the fruit-eating bat and a cartilaginous element in the insect-eating bat. The current study represents an attempt to shed more light on the tongue evolution among mammalian vertebrates.