Structure and Secretions of the Lingual Salivary Glands of the White- Cheeked Bulbul, Pycnonotus leucogenys (Pycnontidae)

Structure and secretions characterization of the lingual salivary glands of both wild and captive white-cheeked bulbul, PycnonotUS leucogenys have been conducted. The glands are composed of one entity of simple branched tubular secretory endpieces at the dorsal part of the tongue. They are of homocrine type made of mucinous secretory cells that elaborate neutral mucosubstances together with sialomucins and sulfomucins liable to neuraminidase and hyaluronidase respectively, but are devoid of glycogen and proteins. The results might indicate the lingual secretions of the species under study to be a sort of adaptation for the feeding habits. The findings are compared with those reported for other birds in correlation with their phylogeny and feeding habits.