The copula linguae or copula, is a swelling that forms from the second
pharyngeal arch
The pharyngeal arches, also known as visceral arches'','' are transient structures seen in the Animal embryonic development, embryonic development of humans and other vertebrates, that are recognisable precursors for many structures. In fish, t ...
, late in the fourth week of
embryogenesis
An embryo ( ) is the initial stage of development for a multicellular organism. In organisms that reproduce sexually, embryonic development is the part of the life cycle that begins just after fertilization of the female egg cell by the male ...
.
During the fifth and sixth weeks the copula becomes overgrown and covered by the
hypopharyngeal eminence which forms mostly from the third pharyngeal arch and in part from the fourth pharyngeal arch.
References
External links
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Anatomy
{{Portal bar, Anatomy