{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,9]],"date-time":"2025-10-09T00:37:25Z","timestamp":1759970245194,"version":"build-2065373602"},"reference-count":23,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"2","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,20]],"date-time":"2025-01-20T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1737331200000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"Principado de Asturias (Consejer\u00eda de Educaci\u00f3n y Ciencia)","award":["UO-15-INVES-17"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["UO-15-INVES-17"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Animals"],"abstract":"<jats:p>The sublingua is an anatomical structure located under the tongue. This rare organ can be present in some animals as a rudimentary structure, but among prosimian primates, such as lemurs and lorises, it is fully developed. In addition to the sublingua, prosimians have modified lower incisors and canines called \u201cdental comb\u201d. The anatomy of sublingua has been studied macro and microanatomically since the early 19th century. Most authors argue that the sublingua is an oral morphological adaptation to develop a toothbrush\u2019s role in cleaning the dental comb. However, others assert that the functional role has yet to be established. Comparative studies of macro and microanatomy are scarce or incomplete for primates; thus, the putative function remains unclear. To better understand the functional significance of the sublingua, we studied this structure in Lemur catta and Varecia variegata specimens using histochemical staining techniques and scanning electron microscopy with microanalysis. The new data obtained provide a fuller picture of the role assigned to sublingua so far, which could be more complex. In light of the morphological findings, we should consider additional roles\/functions of the sublingua, including but not limited to food processing, grooming or social behavior.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/ani15020275","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,20]],"date-time":"2025-01-20T07:47:37Z","timestamp":1737359257000},"page":"275","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":0,"title":["The Sublingua of Lemur catta and Varecia variegata: Only a Cleaning Function?"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"15","author":[{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-8371-5025","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Juan Francisco","family":"Pastor","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Departamento de Anatom\u00eda y Radiolog\u00eda, GIR \u201cOsteolog\u00eda y Anatom\u00eda Comparada\u201d, Universidad de Valladolid, 47005 Valladolid, Spain"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9244-5338","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Magdalena Natalia","family":"Muchlinski","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Anatomical Sciences & Education Center, Oregon Health and Science University, Portland, OR 97239, USA"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-3387-8760","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Josep Mar\u00eda","family":"Potau","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Unidad de Anatom\u00eda y Embriolog\u00eda, Universidad de Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain"},{"name":"Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0001-9116-9167","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Aroa","family":"Casado","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Unidad de Anatom\u00eda y Embriolog\u00eda, Universidad de Barcelona, 08036 Barcelona, Spain"},{"name":"Department of Evolutionary Biology, Ecology and Environmental Sciences, University of Barcelona, 08028 Barcelona, Spain"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1442-1095","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Yolanda","family":"Garc\u00eda-Mesa","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Departamento de Morfolog\u00eda y Biolog\u00eda Celular, Grupo SINPOS, Universidad de Oviedo, 33006 Oviedo, Spain"},{"name":"Instituto de Investigaci\u00f3n Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias, ISPA, 33011 Oviedo, Spain"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0003-1276-0018","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Jos\u00e9 Antonio","family":"Vega","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Departamento de Morfolog\u00eda y Biolog\u00eda Celular, Grupo SINPOS, Universidad de Oviedo, 33006 Oviedo, Spain"},{"name":"Facultad de Ciencias de la Salud, Universidad Aut\u00f3noma de Chile, 7500912 Providencia, Chile"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"ORCID":"https:\/\/orcid.org\/0000-0002-4749-0137","authenticated-orcid":false,"given":"Roberto","family":"Cabo","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Departamento de Anatom\u00eda y Radiolog\u00eda, GIR \u201cOsteolog\u00eda y Anatom\u00eda Comparada\u201d, Universidad de Valladolid, 47005 Valladolid, Spain"},{"name":"Departamento de Morfolog\u00eda y Biolog\u00eda Celular, Grupo SINPOS, Universidad de Oviedo, 33006 Oviedo, Spain"},{"name":"Instituto de Investigaci\u00f3n Sanitaria del Principado de Asturias, ISPA, 33011 Oviedo, Spain"},{"name":"Departamento de Anatom\u00eda e Histolog\u00eda Humanas, Universidad de Salamanca, 37007 Salamanca, Spain"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2025,1,20]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"153","article-title":"Sublingual structures in primates. 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