Snake tongue-flicking: transfer mechanics to Jacobson's organ

Gillingham, James C.; Clark, David L.

doi:10.1139/z81-229

Cited by 67 publications

(38 citation statements)

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“…Reptilian tongues are characterized by morphological and functional variations among species [12][13][14]. In lizards it plays important roles during olfaction, gustatory and feeding, where they can pick up and transfer chemicals to the vomeronasal organ [15], test palatability and capture of praise, mastication process, secretion of mucus as lubricant and pushing food to the pharynx [14,16,17].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ultrastructural Studies on the Tongue of Some Egyptian Lizards 1-Scincine Lizards Chalcides Oscellatus and Chalcides Sepsoides (Lacertilia, Scincidae)

Sarhan¹

2013

J Cytol Histol

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Tongues of Egyptian lizards Chalcides ocellatus and Chalcides sepsoides are investigated under scanning and transmission electron microscope. Their tongues are divided into tip, anterior, middle and posterior regions.In C. ocellatus, the tip region is bifurcated and protected with strong, non-papillosed, keratinized epithelium. The lingual papillae are separating with wide trenches except in the middle region. Papillae of the anterior and posterior regions have serrated and imbricated ends oriented in the posterior direction. The surface epithelia is studded by tiny or reticular microvilli. Ultra-sections show that the imbricated portions have goblet cells rich in numerous secretory granules. The lamina propria of each papilla is provided with striated muscle fibers. The distribution and orientation of the lingual muscle fibers prove that the tongue is adapted for snipping, masticate and swallowing their praise.In C. sepsoides tongue, the tip region is slightly bifurcated. All lingual papillae have different shapes with narrow moats separating between them. Those of the anterior and posterior regions have free ends overlapped towards the anterior or posterior directions, respectively, while that of the middle region is not imbricated. The surface epithelia of the tongue has dispersed or aggregated microvilli.In the tongue of the C. sepsoides, new structures are described for the first time. At its ventral aspect, there is an accessory lingual muscle formed of numerous muscle fibers orient to the vertical, transverse or longitudinal directions. These orientations prove that the tongue is able to mash and suck the prey's sherbets. At the end of the posterior region, there is a ciliated concave depression hosting a laryngotracheal organ, which has T-shaped crevice precedent by large fleshy highly ciliated lip supported by inflexible folds.

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Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Ultrastructural Studies on the Tongue of Some Egyptian Lizards 1-Scincine Lizards Chalcides Oscellatus and Chalcides Sepsoides (Lacertilia, Scincidae)

Sarhan¹

2013

J Cytol Histol

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“…Like many other squamates, Thamnophis detects pheromones laid down on the substrate by other snakes (Ford and Low, 1984); the tongue touches the substrate and then the vomeronasal organ (VNO) ducts for analysis (Gillingham and Clark, 1981;Halpern and Kubie, 1983). Studies indicate that snakes can detect the sex of other snakes by analyzing pheromones that have been left on the substrate (Ford and Low, 1984).…”

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confidence: 99%

“…Conversely, it has been hypothesized that, rather than the bifurcated tongue, two sublingual folds called anterior processes function in transferring cues to the VNO (Gillingham and Clark, 1981). For example, in the monitor lizard (Varanus albigularis) the forked tongue does not contact the VNO (Oelofsen and Van Den Heever, 1979).…”

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confidence: 99%

“…For example, in the monitor lizard (Varanus albigularis) the forked tongue does not contact the VNO (Oelofsen and Van Den Heever, 1979). The ventral surface of the tongue of rat snakes (Elaphe) contacts the anterior processes each time the tongue is retracted, and these processes are in direct alignment with the VNO (Gillingham and Clark, 1981). When the tongue is withdrawn into the sublingual sheath as the mouth closes, the anterior processes are raised up, thus contacting the two openings of the VNO.…”

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confidence: 99%

“…When the tongue is withdrawn into the sublingual sheath as the mouth closes, the anterior processes are raised up, thus contacting the two openings of the VNO. Although it might be said that these processes push the tongue into the VNO, filming of tongue retraction and elevation of the processes after retraction into the sheath shows that the anterior processes are probably the organs of chemical transfer to the VNO (Gillingham and Clark, 1981). Further, removing these processes in Thamnophis results in an inability to detect the presence of food (Gillingham and Clark, 1981).…”

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confidence: 99%

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Seasonal trailing behavior and corticosterone levels in male red-sided garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis)

Thinesen¹

2000

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Mechanisms of how red-sided garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis) travel up to 18 km from summer feeding sites to hibernation dens are not understood.In this study, monthly and seasonal trailing behavior were investigated to determine whether red-sided garter snakes prefer to follow trails of snakes from the same den (den-mates) versus trails made by other conspecifics (non-den-mates). Snakes from five different hibernacula in Manitoba, Canada, were involved in the study. Eighteen were adults and 15 were subadults. Subadult red-sided garter snakes do not return 2 to hibernacula until their second year of life, so their trailing behavior was of interest in learning how they might first find hibernation sites.Since hormonal factors may play a role in trailing behavior, and, since corticosterone (CS) has been associated with migration and homing in other vertebrates, plasma CS concentrations were also investigated monthly and seasonally.A wooden Y-maze with slots for blocking the two arms was used in the study. Overall, the snakes trailed conspecifics in the spring but showed no preferences for trails of den-mates or non-den-mates. When adults' and subadults' behaviors were studied separately, no significant trai.ling tendencies were observed in the adults. Subadults preferred to follow den-mates in the fall and five weeks' post-emergence, corresponding with the time of migration to hibernacula and migration to summer feeding sites, respectively. Two-way analysis including age as a factor showed no age by month interaction; that is, age appeared to have no effect on CS levels during any particular month.

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Prey chemical discrimination indicated by tongue-flicking in the eublepharid geckoColeonyx variegatus

Cooper

1998

J. Exp. Zool.

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Snake tongue-flicking: transfer mechanics to Jacobson's organ

Cited by 67 publications

References 12 publications

Ultrastructural Studies on the Tongue of Some Egyptian Lizards 1-Scincine Lizards Chalcides Oscellatus and Chalcides Sepsoides (Lacertilia, Scincidae)

Ultrastructural Studies on the Tongue of Some Egyptian Lizards 1-Scincine Lizards Chalcides Oscellatus and Chalcides Sepsoides (Lacertilia, Scincidae)

Seasonal trailing behavior and corticosterone levels in male red-sided garter snakes (Thamnophis sirtalis parietalis)

Prey chemical discrimination indicated by tongue-flicking in the eublepharid geckoColeonyx variegatus

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