Final answer:
The small pits in the epithelium of the tongue are known as papillae, specifically the fungiform papillae, which contain taste buds for gustatory transduction.
Step-by-step explanation:
The small pits mentioned in the question refer to the papilla for gustation, which are bump-like projections on the surface of the tongue that contain taste buds. These papillae are responsible for the transduction of taste stimuli. When food molecules, known as tastants, are dissolved in saliva, they stimulate the receptors on the microvilli of the taste cells. A specific type of papilla, known as fungiform papillae, are responsible for containing these taste buds, while filiform papillae have touch receptors that aid in the movement of food and provide an abrasive surface for mechanical purposes. The papillae are an extension of the lamina propria of the mucosa covered in stratified squamous epithelium and are involved in gustatory transduction.