the collection consisting of the two lateral swellings and the medial swelling; [homology-note] "Most adult amphibians have a tongue, as do all known reptiles, birds and mammals. Thus it is likely that the tongue appeared with the establishment of tetrapods and this structure seems to be related, to some extant, to the terrestrial lifestyle.[well established][VHOG]" xsd:string {date_retrieved="2012-09-17", external_class="VHOG:0000449", ontology="VHOG", source="DOI:10.1046/j.1469-7580.2002.00073.x Iwasaki S, Evolution of the structure and function of the vertebrate tongue. J Anat (2002)", source="http://bgee.unil.ch/"}