The structural organization of the anterior third of adult rabbit tongue was studied using light microscopy and conventional and high resolution scanning electron microscopy. Histologically, the muscle layer of the tongue consisted of muscle fibers arranged vertically, transversally and longitudinally. These fibers were surrounded by connective tissue containing bundles of collagen fibers that formed the endomysium and the perimysium. Capillary blood vessels were noted in the connective tissue between muscle fibers. Silver impregnation demonstrated the presence of numerous bundles of nerve fibers distributed irregularly around the muscle fibers. High-resolution scanning electron microscopy showed that the sarcoplasm of the muscle cells consisted of bundles of myofilaments arranged longitudinally and numerous mitochondria.