This study was made on 24 camel fetuses of crown-rump vertebral length (CVRL)
ranging from 10.5 cm to 105 cm CVRL (94–352 days old). These camel fetuses were
classified into three groups representing the three trimesters of prenatal life. During
the first trimester (94–142 days), lingual papillae (circumvallate and lentiform papillae)
were demonstrated on the lingual root, but lingual body and the apex were almost free
of papillae except for some scattered epithelial projections especially near the lateral
borders of the body. In the second trimester (152–229 days), the lentiform papillae
covered the entire root of the tongue except for areas occupied by the circumvallate
papillae. Taste buds with clear pores were observed for the first time in areas between
the circumvallate gustatory furrow and surface epithelium of the tongue. In addition,
short numerous filiform papillae were observed on the rostral part of the lingual body
and the lateral parts of the apex. Fungiform papillae, however, were demonstrated
amidst the filiform papillae. In this trimester, taste buds were also seen on the top of
the fungiform papillae. In the third trimester (256–352 days), all lingual papillae were
clearly demonstrated on the dorsum of the root, body and apex of the tongue. Both
types of gustatory papillae (circumvallate and fungiform) had well-developed
taste
buds. Mechanical papillae (filiform and lentiform) were well developed. Lentiform papillae
occupied most of the dorsal aspect of the Torus linguae; they were larger in size
with semicircular apices. Filiform papillae, however, were numerous and demonstrated
heavily on the lateral and rostral parts of the body as well as on the apex of the tongue.