Lizards’ tongues are usually short, flat, and fleshy.

Snakes (and very large lizards) have thin tongues split into two parts, which is called a forked tongue. Their tongues flick in the air.

Inside a reptile’s mouth is a small organ on the roof of the mouth called a vomeronasal organ or Jacobson’s organ.

lizard

Lizard’s tongues collect very small air particles (specks) and they put their tongues inside their mouth next to the vomeronasal organ.

The vomeronasal organ identifies the smell. The vomeronasal organ can tell whether the smell is a prey (an animal to eat) or a predator (an animal that will kill or eat them).

This process is called a chemoreceptive system.

Photographer: Martina Nicolls

Martina Nicolls: SIMILAR BUT DIFFERENT IN THE ANIMAL KINGDOM