FORKED TONGUE

FORKED TONGUE

Have you heard of the word “forked tongue”? A forked tongue is a tongue split into two distinct tines at the tip; this is a feature common to many species of reptiles. Reptiles smell using the tip of their tongue, and a forked tongue allows them to sense from which direction a smell is coming. Sensing from both sides of the head and following trails based on chemical cues is called tropotaxis. It is unclear whether or not forked tongued reptiles can actually follow trails or if this is just a hypothesis. The advantage to having a forked tongue is that more surface area is available for the chemicals to contact and the potential for tropotaxis. The tongue is flicked out of the mouth regularly to sample the chemical environment. This form of chemical sampling allows these animals to sense non-volatile chemicals, which cannot be detected by simply using the olfactory system. This increased ability to sense chemicals has allowed for heightened abilities to identify prey, recognize kin, choose mates, locate shelters, follow trails, and more.

a snake showing its forked tongue

Snakes are most known animals to have this but snakes don't sting or use their forked tongues as weapons. Its tongues are perfectly harmless. A snake sticks out its tongue to collect data for its Jacobson's Organ, an organ strategically located in front of the roof of the snake's mouth that functions as a chemical receptor. Each and every time the snake flicks out its forked tongue, it snares chemical particles in the air, which latch onto, or dissolve in, the moisture of the snake's tongue. Once the snake reels in its tongue, it inserts the tips of the forked tongue into the two awaiting openings of the Jacobson's organ where the particles, especially those of animal body odors, are identified, analyzed, and acted upon.

For the male snake, the tongue is both a sensory organ, and a sensual organ. The tongue plays a vital role in snake courtship and reproduction, as the male snake's jerking body motions and rapidly flicking tongues either charm the female snake, or render her unresponsive. In either instance, by sticking out their tongues, snakes ensure the survival of the species.

Though having forked tongue is common to reptiles even non reptiles also possess it but not all reptiles have forked tongues .Here are some lists of animals with forked tongue.

komodo dragon

1.      Snakes

2.      Komodo dragon

3.      Nile monitor and other monitor lizards

4.      Humming bird

5.      Frogs

squamate

Forked tongues have evolved multiple times in Squamates. It is unclear, based on the morphological and genetic evidence, where the exact point of change from a notched tongue to a fork tongue, but it is believe that the change has happened two to four times. A common behavioral characteristic that has evolved in those with fork tongues is that they tend to be a wide foragers.

split tongue of a person

Some people go through the process of tongue splitting to achieve “forked tongue” for a reason that I don’t know. Performing a tongue splitting on yourself is generally legal, although in many jurisdictions it could be used to facilitate a psychiatric examination and possible commitment, especially if complications occur.