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Sulcus Terminalis — MFDS Part 1 MCQ

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EasyAnatomy (Head & Neck)Sulcus TerminalisMFDS Part 1

On the dorsum of the tongue, which anatomical landmark marks the boundary between the anterior two-thirds and the posterior one-third?

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Correct answer: C — Sulcus terminalis

The correct answer is C, the sulcus terminalis. This V-shaped groove on the dorsal tongue marks the boundary between the anterior two-thirds, or oral part, and the posterior one-third, or pharyngeal part. The foramen caecum lies at the apex of the V but does not itself form the boundary. The median sulcus runs anteroposteriorly along the midline and separates the right and left halves. The circumvallate papillae form a V-shaped row immediately anterior to the sulcus terminalis, so their row is closely related but is not the named dividing landmark. The lingual frenulum is a ventral mucosal fold attaching the tongue to the floor of the mouth.

Reference: Dotiwala AK, Samra NS. Anatomy, Head and Neck, Tongue. StatPearls, 2026. https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/29939559/