干旱区生态环境知识资源中心

The tongue’s structure of bactrian camel was studied using gross anatomical and morphological methods. The result shows that the tongue consists of root, body and apex, as is likely same with other ruminants in the basic structure. The papillae include filiform (R), lenticular (L), conical (Co), fungiform (Fu) and vallate papillae (CV). But the tongue of bactrian camel also forms the special structure due to its peculiar living condition and food habits such is high keratinisation, broad and thick root, and the apex of tongue with well developed median groove and transverse folds, less developed vallate papillae and more developed filiform and conical papillae. The present study concludes that the bactrian camel has evolved a unique morphological structure to adapt to the harsh environment in desert and semi-desert area by long period of evolution. Our research made an academic basis for studying the feeding mode and habits of the camel, and accumulated the data for studying the tongue in ruminant animals.