Strike-induced chemosensory searching occurs in lizards

Strike-induced chemosensory searching (SICS), previously known only in snakes, is experimentally demonstrated in a lizard,Varanus exanthematicus. Tongue-flicking rate was significantly greater after striking the prey than following three control conditions. The occurrence of SICS in a varanid lizard suggests that SICS may serve to help relocate dropped or escaped prey not only in snakes, but in other squamates that use the tongue as a chemosensory sampling device during foraging. This in turn suggests the need for further studies of the taxonomic distribution of SICS in squamates and of its relationship to tongue use during foraging and feeding.