The distribution and ramifications of the lingual nerve of 18 tongues of adult pigs from both genders with no strain specification were studied. The material freshly collected in slaughter routine was cooled (4°C) for transportation, fixed in formaldehyde aqueous solution (7%, 72h), immerse in nitric acid aqueous solution (15%, 72h) and dissected with magnifying glass (RASOR, II-20). Each dissected antimere enabled the recording of primary, secondary and tertiary lingual nervous branches present inside the myofascial structure of the organ, exhibiting different arrangements: left antimere: 4 to 10 primary branches, 4 to 12 secondary antimeres and 0 to 11 tertiary branches; right antimere: 3 to 8 primary branches, 0 to 11 secondary antimeres and 0 to 10 tertiary branches. In 27.6% of analyses, the lingual branches established associations with the fibers of the hypoglossal nerve in the corresponding antimere.
tongue; pigs; lingual nerve; cranial nerve; nervous system
