The objective of this study was to determine the distribution and the structure of their taste buds and fungiform papillae on the porcupine's tongue by light and scanning electron microscopy.

The tongue of the porcupine had a slender anterior protrusion and the tip of the tongue was round. The fungiform papillae were mushroom in shape and covered squamous epithelium. The fungiform papillae were absent on the dorsal midline and apex of the tongue. They were scattered along both lateral edges of the dorsal surface in the middle region. The highest distribution of papillae was on the posterior one-thirds of the tongue. In tongues of the porcupine, 99% of all fungiform papillae contained taste bud. Almost every fungiform papillae typically had four or five taste buds. However, occasionally some had a taste bud at its center, and relatively few papillae were without taste buds.