why reptiles(mostly snakes and lizards) stick out their tongue all the time? I mean that fast out-in move.

Question

why reptiles(mostly snakes and lizards) stick out their tongue all the time? I mean that fast out-in move.

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Answer 1

My understanding is that they use it to ‘smell’. Smell is detecting molecules in the air through the membranes in our nose and mouth, rather than allowing air to come into contact passively, snakes and lizards put their tongue out into the air to ‘detect’ and sense more things around them. They use what’s called a ‘Jacobson organ’ to identify different smells, and darting their tongue out helps collect scent molecules from the air around them.