Buzz
Chameleons are known for their peculiar walking style and color-changing abilities, and their evolutionary adaptations remain fascinating and mysterious to researchers. One such marvel is their extraordinary tongue, which can snap out so swiftly that it's almost invisible to the human eye. Thanks to cutting-edge high-speed cameras, researchers at the University of South Dakota have captured footage of this fascinating behavior like never before. The video, featured on The Kid Should See This, showcases some groundbreaking shots that are nothing short of spectacular.
Filming at 3000 frames per second, the camera recorded every minuscule detail of the chameleon's tongue strike. When played in slow motion, it reveals the precise sequence of movements: first, the tongue's muscles tighten like a bowstring. Then, when that tension is released, the rigid base of the tongue propels forward, extending the elastic, sticky portion towards its prey.
As explained by Christopher Anderson, a scientist involved in the research, larger chameleons can launch their tongues up to one or two times their body length. Meanwhile, smaller chameleons can extend their tongues as far as two and a half times their body length. “Smaller chameleons need to consume more food relative to their size than larger ones,” Anderson says in the video, “and by being able to project their tongues proportionally further than the larger species, they essentially gain access to more feeding opportunities that they wouldn’t have if their tongues were shorter.”
Witness one of nature's most remarkable hunting tools in action by watching the full video below.
