Callithrix penicillata belongs to the family Callitrichidae, Callithrix genus. They
are basically insectivorous, but they consume fruits. The mucosa of the tongue is composed of some
papillary types, revealing different levels of expertise. The present study attempted to describe the
morphological and ultrastructural aspects of the dorsal surface of the C. penicillata, describing the
characteristics and distribution of papillae found. Five tongues of C. penicillata (two females and
three males), obtained from breeding colonies of CENP-Ananindeua-PA, died from natural causes.
The material was fixed partly in a buffer solution paraformaldehyde 10% and partly in modified
Karnovsky solution, divided into apex, body, and root, and then the fragments were used in light
microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The average length of the tongue of the females was
22 mm and for males 20.5 mm. Three types of papillae were described: filiform (along all tissue
extension with 154 lm of diameter), fungiform (along all tissue extension with 275 lm of diameter),
and vallate (just three units in caudal (dorsal) portion with 672 lm of diameter). Data analysis
indicates that the distribution and ultrastructural morphology of the C. penicillata lingual papillae
are some similar to other primates.
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