[Taste buds in the epithelium of the plica sublingualis of New World monkeys (author's transl)].

The Plica sublingualis of new world monkeys was studied microscopically. In Ateles there are approximately 1700 taste buds in the epithelium of the Plica sublingualis, they are fewer in number in Alouatta, Lagothrix, Aotus and are absent in Saimiri and Cebus. The taste buds are situated consistently at the tip of the Plica sublingualis and near the orifices of the submandibular and sublingual salivary glands. From this topographical coincidence it is inferred that the function of the taste buds at the Plica sublingualis might permit a comparison between the fresh saliva with the general saliva in the cavum oris along a gradient.