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A basihyal is either of two small bones which form the body of the inverted hyoid arch.
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What is the function of fish tongue?
The name of the bone forming the "tongue of a fish" is the basihyal. A basihyal is a small, thick, relatively immovable piece of either bone or cartilage that is found on the floor of the mouth of fishes. It is in the front of the basibranchial corpula, a tube made of separate sections (the basibranchial bones) that contains the ventral aorta. The ventral aorta leads blood from the heart of the fish to the base of the gill arches.Some fish have teeth on the basihyal that files down prey coming down the fish's throat. Rainbow trout have teeth on the basihyal that may be used for this type of food processing. Note that the basihyal is immobile. So this filing isn't the same as chewing or licking. The "cookie cutter shark" uses the basihyal, along with sharp teeth and suction, to rip "flesh cookies" out of their prey. The function of the basihyal in these cases seems to be analogous to part of the jaw.The basihyal varies in importance with fish. The "Amilia calva" is a fish that has no separate basihyal. Most sharks don't seem to use the basihyal for anything, with the exception of the cookie cutter shark. For most fish, the use of the basihyal is uncertain.In fish, the taste buds are usually contained in either the barbels or the lateral line. Sharks have taste buds all over their skin. However, the basihyal has not been shown to be covered with taste buds. A mammal tongue is covered with taste buds. So the basihyal and the mammal tongue don't seem to be homologous. If you consider the mammal tongue to be the "true" tongue, then the basihyal is a false tongue.The basihyal is not considered a true tongue by most scientists. The tongue of most vertebrates (not fish) is a muscle, not a bone. The tongue of most vertebrates is used to both move food around and to taste food. The basibranchial is a bone, and has no muscles to move it around. Therefore, its resemblance to a mammal tongue is coincidental.The entire skin of sharks is covered with taste buds, including the skin that covers the basihyal. Therefore, the basihyal does not seem to be a special "tasting" organ. However, in mammals only the tongue has taste buds. In both mammals and fish, there are specialized olfactory cells that only exist in the nasal cavities. The basihyal is not involved in smell. Therefore, the basihyal does not seem to be specialized for chemical sensing.I conjecture that the most important function of the basihyal is to protect the heart and ventral aorta from impact with the food of the fish. The heart of a fish and the aorta are very close to the mouth of the fish. If there was nothing blocking contact with the basibranchial bones, then a frontal approach by a large mass of food could crush the aorta or the heart. However, it is unclear in most fish how important the "basihyal" is for survival.The evolution of the basihyal may be a case where an almost vestigial organ developed new functions. The basihyal is homologous to the basibranchial bone of the second gill arch. As a basibranchial, it provided blood to the other bones of the second gill arch. Most of the bones from the first two gill arches were incorporated into the jaws of modern fish. However, the basihyal may have been a left over bone. It lost its ability to provide blood to the other bones. Although not completely vestigial, it was left with only a protective function. Later adaptations may have given the basihyal different uses.
Does an eel have a tongue?
Squid come in a variety of sizes and appearances. They range from 1 inch to more than 70 feet in length. Most squid have long, tube-shaped bodies with a small head. They have 10 arms (two of which are much longer than the others for grasping prey). These arms are lined with rows of suckers. Some varieties of squid have claw-like hooks instead of, or in addition to, the suckers. In the center of the arms is a mouth with a parrot-like shaped beak that surrounds a sharp, bony tongue (called the radula).
What is a shark's tongue called?
Well the real question should be "How stupid do you think I am?" It's called a tongue, nostra-smarticle.
Do sharks have saliva?
Sharks and crocodiles are unable to stick out their tongues ad they do not have a "web" like us humans do. Therefore they are unable to to so. Their tounges are purely tissue, with taste buds that are not as strong as ours on it. Hope i have helped! :) (:
How does a howler monkey live alone or with others?
Howler monkeys live in groups where the number of females is greater than the number of males. Groups may have only one male or several males. Unlike most New World monkeys, juveniles of both genders emigrate from their natal groups, so neither adult males nor adults females in a group are typically related. Fighting among group members is infrequent and generally of short duration. However, serious injuries can result. Both males and females may fight with each other. Group size varies by species and by location, with an approximate male to female ratio of a male to four females. As their name suggests, vocal communication forms an important part of their social behavior. They have an enlarged basihyal or hyoid bone which helps them make their loud sound. They are considered the loudest land animal. According to Guinness Book of World Records, it can be heard clearly for 3 miles (4.8 km). These large, slow moving monkeys are the only folivores of the New World monkeys. Howlers eat mainly top canopy leaves, together with fruit, buds, flowers, and nuts. They need to be careful not to eat too much of certain species of mature leaf in one sitting, as some of the leaves they eat contain toxins that can poison the monkey.[ Howler monkeys are also known to occasionally raid birds nests and chicken coops and consume the eggs.
Does a monkey live alone or with other monkeys?
Howler monkeys live in groups where the number of females is greater than the number of males. Groups may have only one male or several males. Unlike most New World monkeys, juveniles of both genders emigrate from their natal groups, so neither adult males nor adults females in a group are typically related. Fighting among group members is infrequent and generally of short duration. However, serious injuries can result. Both males and females may fight with each other. Group size varies by species and by location, with an approximate male to female ratio of a male to four females. As their name suggests, vocal communication forms an important part of their social behavior. They have an enlarged basihyal or hyoid bone which helps them make their loud sound. They are considered the loudest land animal. According to Guinness Book of World Records, it can be heard clearly for 3 miles (4.8 km). These large, slow moving monkeys are the only folivores of the New World monkeys. Howlers eat mainly top canopy leaves, together with fruit, buds, flowers, and nuts. They need to be careful not to eat too much of certain species of mature leaf in one sitting, as some of the leaves they eat contain toxins that can poison the monkey.[ Howler monkeys are also known to occasionally raid birds nests and chicken coops and consume the eggs.
How the howler monkey is adapted to its environment?
They have a 'prehensile' tail acts like a fifth limb and the monkey can dangle upside down off a branch, climb on to thin, brittle branches and eat really high up in trees with absolutely no danger of falling.
