The present study examined the distribution patterns and types of lingual papillae for four rodent species, desert rodents Jaculus jaculus & Jaculus orientalis and old World mice & rat Acomys cahirinus and 144 Assiut Vet. Med. J. Vol. 52 No. 109 April 2006 Arvicanthis niloticus by light and scanning electron microscopy. Filliform (mechanical papillae), fungiform and circumvallate papillae (gustatory papillae) were found in the four species. Both Acomys and Arvicanthis species have widespread conical and slightly branched filfiorm papillae, while the two Jaculus species have widespread highly branched filiform papillae. In all species, fungiform papillae are abundant in the tip of the tongue and scattered among filliform papillae on the dorsal surface. Both species of Acomys and Arvicanthis have a single ciricumivallate papilla, while the two jaculus species have three circumivallate papillae at the posterior area of the lingual prominence. On the postrior third of both Jaculus species tongue, pores related to the secretion of mucus were frequently scattered next the circumivallate papillae. Microridges are visible at high magnification in all types of papillae as well as in interpapillar zone of all species.