Scanning electron microscopy was employed to investigate the ultrastructure of lingual dorsal epithelial cells of the lizard, Takydromus tachydromoides. The specimens were prepared by a method involving osmium post-fixation and acid treatment to remove extracellular attached material.
The tongue of this species is long and slender. The anterior one third is bifurcate. The part comprising the posterior two thirds is wider than the anterior one. The dorsal surface of the anterior one third was found to be composed of an almost smooth surface, and the dorsal surface of the middle one third was entirely covered with scale-like papillae. The dorsal surface of the posterior one third had transverse ridges.
At higher magnifications, the epithelial cell surface of the anterior bifurcate portion revealed widely distributed microridges and cell marginal thickening. The epithelial surface of the scale-like papillae showed ring pattern microridges and cell marginal thickening. The frontal surface of the posterior ridges had abundant pores, on the surface of which globular substance was sometimes attached. Around the pores, a fine network pattern was recognized.