Jove
Visualize
Contact Us
JoVE
x logofacebook logolinkedin logoyoutube logo
ABOUT JoVE
OverviewLeadershipBlogJoVE Help Center
AUTHORS
Publishing ProcessEditorial BoardScope & PoliciesPeer ReviewFAQSubmit
LIBRARIANS
TestimonialsSubscriptionsAccessResourcesLibrary Advisory BoardFAQ
RESEARCH
JoVE JournalMethods CollectionsJoVE Encyclopedia of ExperimentsArchive
EDUCATION
JoVE CoreJoVE BusinessJoVE Science EducationJoVE Lab ManualFaculty Resource CenterFaculty Site
Terms & Conditions of Use
Privacy Policy
Policies

Related Experiment Videos

A three-dimensional kinematic analysis of tongue flicking in Python molurus.

Jurriaan H de Groot1, Inke van der Sluijs, Peter Ch Snelderwaard

  • 1Section Evolutionary Morphology, Institute of Biology (IBL), Leiden University, PO Box 9516, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands. j.h.de_groot@lumc.nl

The Journal of Experimental Biology
|January 30, 2004
PubMed
Summary

Snake tongue protrusion and flicking involve complex muscle movements. This study quantifies tongue shape changes and velocities, revealing insights into the biomechanics of this unique sensory organ.

Related Concept Videos

You might also read

Related Articles

Articles linked to this work by shared authors, journal, and citation graph.

Sort by
Same author

Predicting axial muscle-fibre strains in larval zebrafish.

The Journal of experimental biology·2026
Same author

The Impacts of Pregnancy on Cognition and Cell Proliferation in a Live-Bearing Fish (Poeciliopsis gracilis).

The European journal of neuroscience·2026
Same author

Axial muscle-fibre orientation in developing larval zebrafish.

The Journal of experimental biology·2026
Same author

Axial muscle-fibre orientations in developing larval zebrafish.

The Journal of experimental biology·2025
Same author

Follow the flower: approach-flight behaviour of bumblebees landing on a moving target.

The Journal of experimental biology·2025
Same author

Axial muscle-fibre orientations in larval zebrafish.

Journal of anatomy·2024

Area of Science:

  • Biomechanics
  • Herpetology
  • Functional Morphology

Background:

  • The forked snake tongue is a muscular hydrostat crucial for chemosensation.
  • Understanding its complex movements requires quantitative analysis of its dynamic shape changes.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To quantitatively analyze the three-dimensional shape changes and motion performance of the snake tongue during protrusion and flicking.
  • To investigate the relationship between muscle arrangement and tongue deformation.

Main Methods:

  • High-speed fluoroscopy and high-speed stereo photogrammetry were employed.
  • Analysis focused on Python molurus bivittatus (Boidae).
  • Measurements included tongue elongation, velocity, and curvature.

Related Experiment Videos

Main Results:

  • The posterior tongue elongated up to 130%, while the anterior portion elongated up to 60%.
  • Maximum protrusion velocity reached 4.3 m/s.
  • Significant variations in 3D deformation and curvature were observed along the tongue.

Conclusions:

  • Quantitative data support a hydrostatic elongation mechanism for snake tongue movement.
  • Findings provide a basis for evaluating dynamic models of tongue flicking.
  • Muscle fiber arrangement influences tongue strain and deformation patterns.