Question

Which of the following are the characteristics of the tongue of a horse?
A. Tip of the tongue is spatula-shaped
B. 8 to 17 vallate papillae are present on either side of the caudal aspect of the tongue
C. The foliate papillae are situated just in front of the anterior pillar of the soft palate
D. Filiform papillae are fine thread-like projections present on the dorsum of the tongue
E. Large blunt lenticular papillae are present on the dorsum of the tongue
Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

• A. A, D and E only
• B. A, C and D only
• C. A, B and D only
• D. A, C and E only

Hint:

Remember that the presence of foliate papillae and a spatulate tip are key indicators of the horse tongue, whereas lenticular papillae and a torus linguae are unique to the ox tongue.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is B

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
The tongue of domestic animals has specific morphological features (shape and papillae distribution) that vary significantly across species.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let us evaluate each anatomical statement regarding the equine (horse) tongue:
- A. "Tip of the tongue is spatula-shaped": This is true. The free end of the horse's tongue is wide and flat (spatulate), unlike the pointed tip of the ruminant tongue.
- B. "8 to 17 vallate papillae are present on either side": This is false. The horse tongue normally possesses only one pair of vallate papillae (one on each side of the caudal dorsum). The high number of 8 to 17 vallate papillae per side is a characteristic of the ox tongue.
- C. "The foliate papillae are situated just in front of the anterior pillar of the soft palate": This is true. The horse has prominent, leaf-like foliate papillae situated in front of the palatoglossal arch. (Ruminants do not have foliate papillae).
- D. "Filiform papillae are fine thread-like projections present on the dorsum of the tongue": This is true. These numerous, fine papillae cover the dorsum of the tongue, giving it a soft, velvety texture.
- E. "Large blunt lenticular papillae are present on the dorsum": This is false. Lenticular papillae are lens-shaped, hard projections found on the torus linguae of the ox, and are completely absent in the horse.
Thus, the true characteristics are statements A, C, and D.

Step 3: Final Answer
The correct option is (B).