The weirdest (and coolest) tongues in the animal kingdom - Cella Wright

Summary

The script explores the diverse uses of tongues in the animal kingdom, from alligator snapping turtles using them as lures to chameleons shooting their tongues at incredible speeds. It highlights the unique adaptations of tongues for hunting, defense, and feeding across various species, showcasing the evolutionary marvels of these versatile organs.

Takeaways

• 🐢 The alligator snapping turtle uses a blood-engorged tongue appendage as a lure to attract prey.
• 🐟 Water snakes and snowy egrets mimic prey-like ripples with their tongues to attract fish.
• 🐍 Puff adders mimic insect movements with their tongues to catch amphibians.
• 🦎 Chameleons use their tongues as a missile-like weapon, shooting them out at almost 5 meters per second to capture prey.
• 🐍 The rosette-nosed pygmy chameleon's tongue can extend 2.5 times its body length at extremely high speeds.
• 🐸 The giant palm salamander's tongue is launched by the contraction of two long muscles, providing whip-quick captures.
• 🐸 Certain amphibians, like the northern leopard frog, have tongues that flip out from the front of their mouths and are covered in sticky saliva.
• 🦎 Blue-tongued skinks display their tongues defensively to deter predators.
• 🐦 Red-bellied woodpeckers have barbed, extended tongues that probe for food and wrap around their skulls when not in use.
• 🦇 Tube-lipped nectar bats have tongues that are 50% longer than their bodies, adapted for reaching nectar from bellflowers.
• 🐍 Snakes use their forked tongues to sample the environment by spreading the tips apart and moving them in the air, creating a stereo scent map.

Q & A

What is the purpose of the alligator snapping turtle's blood-engorged tongue appendage?

The alligator snapping turtle uses its blood-engorged tongue appendage as a lure to attract prey, mimicking the appearance of a succulent, pink, wiggling worm.

How do water snakes use their tongues to attract prey?

Water snakes create prey-like ripples on the water's surface with their tongues, which attract fish, leading them into the jaws of the snake.

What is the role of the snowy egret's tongue in hunting?

Snowy egrets mimic the movement of insects with their tongues to attract and capture their prey.

How do puff adders use their tongues to catch amphibians?

Puff adders mimic the movements of insects with their tongues to deceive and capture amphibians.

What is unique about the chameleon's tongue mechanism?

The chameleon's tongue is stored within a series of concentric sheaths around a cartilaginous rod, which when released, accelerates the tongue forward at high speed to catch prey.

What is the speed at which a chameleon's tongue can shoot out?

A chameleon's tongue can shoot out at almost 5 meters per second.

How does the rosette-nosed pygmy chameleon's tongue speed compare to a car?

The rosette-nosed pygmy chameleon's tongue can shoot out at speeds equivalent to a car going from 0 to 96 kilometers per hour in a hundredth of a second.

What is special about the giant palm salamander's tongue?

The giant palm salamander's tongue is powered by two long muscles that compress the arms of the cartilaginous skeleton at the base of its tongue, allowing for a quick and powerful capture of prey.

Why are frog tongues positioned at the front of their mouths?

Frog tongues are positioned at the front of their mouths to facilitate the capture of prey and to help push the prey down their throats by retracting their eyes.

What is the function of the blue-tongued skink's tongue?

The blue-tongued skink uses its tongue defensively to dazzle predators and disrupt their aerial attacks.

How does the giant anteater's tongue help it feed?

The giant anteater's tongue is 60 centimeters long, covered in backward-facing spines and adhesive saliva, which helps it catch up to 30,000 termites and ants a day.

What is the significance of the tube-lipped nectar bat's long tongue?

The tube-lipped nectar bat's tongue is 50% longer than its body, allowing it to reach and consume nectar from bellflowers.

How do snakes use their tongues to gather information about their environment?

Snakes spread their tongue tips apart and move them in the air to collect odor molecules, which they then send back into their vomeronasal organs to create a stereo scent map and locate prey or mates.