News in Brief Animals

Chameleon tongue power underestimated

Small chameleons are champions in mouth athletics

Chameleon

STRAIGHT SHOOTER  A petite chameleon from South Africa shoots its tongue out with more power than any other vertebrate action known to science.

Andrew Gruswitz / Wikimedia Commons (CC-BY-SA-3.0)

By Susan Milius

- More than 2 years ago

WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — New measurements show a chameleon tongue zapping out with the highest power output (adjusted for animal size) yet documented for a vertebrate motion.