SummaryCiridopspossesses a tubular tongue with a fringed tip and lateral sides. Closure of the tube is by overlap of the lateral fringes.The tongue skeleton possesses an elongated basihyale, parallel paraglossalia with broad, rounded posterior processes and a slight concavity on the dorsolateral surface of the ceratobranchiale.All the tongue muscles could be described, although some had been damaged. The M. hypoglossus anterior is absent. The M. ceratoglossus and the M. hypoglossus obliquus are large, the latter muscle inserts completely on the basihyale. A newly discovered muscle, the M. thyreohyoideus superior, is described.The glottal muscles are described, and their actions in opening and closing the glottis are outlined.Comparison ofCiridops(Drepanidinae) andLoxops(Psittirostrinae) suggests that the Drepanididae are monophyletic. The closest resemblance in morphology of the tongue apparatus is with the cardueline finches, not with the “coerebids