Entoglossus
The entoglossus (also entoglossum or entoglossal) is an elongated bony or cartilaginous process in lizards and birds that projects from the body of the hyoid apparatus into the tongue.[1]
Evolution
[edit]The entoglossum is generally present as a cartilaginous structure in lizards, where it plays a key role in supporting the tongue during prey capture. It is reduced in snakes, and apparently absent in agamids, iguanids, and lacertids. It is enlarged in chameleons.[2]
In birds, the entoglossum develops anterior to the basihyal from paired elements called paraglossals.[3] It is thought to be homologous with the distal end of the ceratohyal.[4]
References
[edit]- ↑ Kent, George C.; Carr, Robert K. (2001). Comparative Anatomy of the Vertebrates (9th ed.). New York, NY: McGraw-Hill. ISBN 0-07-303869-5.
- ↑ Iwasaki, Shin-ichi; Erdoğan, Serkan; Asami, Tomoichiro (2019), "Evolutionary Specialization of the Tongue in Vertebrates: Structure and Function", in Bels, Vincent; Whishaw, Ian Q. (eds.), Feeding in Vertebrates: Evolution, Morphology, Behavior, Biomechanics, Cham: Springer International Publishing, pp. 333–384, doi:10.1007/978-3-030-13739-7_10, ISBN 978-3-030-13739-7, retrieved 2026-07-22
- ↑ Tucker, Abigail S.; Lumsden, Andrew (2004). "Neural crest cells provide species-specific patterning information in the developing branchial skeleton". Evolution & Development. 6 (1): 32–40. doi:10.1111/j.1525-142X.2004.04004.x. ISSN 1525-142X.
- ↑ "Page:EB1911 - Volume 03.djvu/985 - Wikisource, the free online library". en.wikisource.org. Retrieved 2026-07-22.
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