A comparative histomorphology of tongue and dentition in rats, bats and hedgehogs

Abstract

This study was designed to compare the macro-and micro-anatomical features of the tongue and dentition of the Hedgehogs (insectivorous), bats (frugivorous) and rats (omnivorous), to see if there are observable differences. This study was carried out using eight rats, eight bats and five Hedgehogs of both sexes. Animals were sacrificed the tongue tissues were excised and fixed in 10% formol saline and followed by histological processes, using Haematoxylin and Eosin (H&E) method. Using the Students’t-test; body weight, tongue weight, relative tongue weight, tongue length, relative tongue length and dentition were significantly different (P< 0.05) between the three mammals. It is therefore concluded that the differences in the morphological assessment, dentition and histological analysis are due to the different feeding (diet) pattern and habitation in the three mammals.

Keywords: Dentition, morphology, mammals, tongue, Hedgehog, bat, rat.