Studies on Tongue of Reptilian Species Psammophis sibilans, Tarentola annularis and Crocodylus niloticus

three different reptilian species psammophis sibilans (order ophidia), tarentola annularis (order squamata and crocodylus niloticus (order crocodylia) are used in the present study. their tongue is removed and examined morphologically. their lingual mucosa examined under scanning electron microscopy (sem) as well as processed for histological investigation. gross morphological studies revealed variations of tongue gross structure being elongated with bifurcated end in p. sibilans or triangular flattened structure with broad base and conical free border in t. annularis or rough triangular fill almost the floor cavity in c. niloticus. at sem, the lingual mucosa showed fine striated grooves radially arranged in oblique extension with missing of lingual papillae. numerous microridges are detected above the cell surfaces in p. sibilans. t. annularis exhibited arrangement of conical flattened filiform papillae and abundant of microridges. however in c. niloticus, the lingual mucosa possessed different kinds of filiform papillae besides gustatory papillae and widespread arrangement of taste buds. histologically, confirmed sem of illustrating the lingual mucosa protrusion of stratified squamous epithelium in p. sibilans and presence of apical taste buds in conical filiform papillae of t. annularis. the lingual mucosa of c. niloticus revealed different forms of both filiform and gustatory papillae.