【Lena Paul - The Next Morning】

The Lena Paul - The Next Morningblue-tongued skink, also known as a blue-tongued lizard, is already fascinating due to its colourful gob, but researchers have discovered its secret power.

Ordinarily when threatened, the lizard uses its tongue as a warning to predators.

SEE ALSO: Meet the tardigrade...the world's most 'indestructible' animal

But it's the final throes of the skink's defence that has excited researchers: As a last-ditch attempt, it shows the back of its tongue, which is more UV-intense and luminous compared to the front.

That could be a useful defence against its main predators, such as birds, snakes, and monitor lizards, who are thought to have UV vision.

The research, led by Martin Whiting of Macquarie University in Australia, has been published in Behavioral Ecology and Sociobiology.

Found around Australia, Indonesia and Papua New Guinea, the blue-tongued skink is usually camouflaged, but researchers sought out to find out how the lizard wards off attackers.

Mashable Light Speed Want more out-of-this world tech, space and science stories? Sign up for Mashable's weekly Light Speed newsletter. By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. Thanks for signing up!

Using a portable spectrophotometer, which is used to measure the intensity of light, researchers measured the tongues of 13 skinks where they found the back of the tongue was twice as bright as its tip.

Say "ah." Credit: Getty Images/Imagemore

Attacks were simulated on the skink using a snake, a bird and other threats to see how it would react, when it was discovered the UV-intense part of its tongue was only revealed right at the very end of its efforts.

"The lizards restrict the use of full-tongue displays to the final stages of a predation sequence when they are most at risk, and do so in concert with aggressive defensive behaviours that amplify the display, such as hissing or inflating their bodies," lead author Arnaud Badiane said in a statement online.

"This type of display might be particularly effective against aerial predators, for which an interrupted attack would not be easily resumed due to loss of inertia."

Like any defence, success hinges on timing. More specifically for the skink, not being too late, nor too early.

"If performed too early, a display may break the lizard’s camouflage and attract unwanted attention by predators and increase predation risk," Badiane added. "If performed too late, it may not deter predators."

[h/t CNET]

---

Featured Video For You

---

---

• Deals
• Entertainment
• Games
• Shopping
• Social Good
• Tech
• Science
• Digital Culture

• Dyson V8 Plus cordless vacuum: $120 off at Amazon
• Strife in the Fast Lane
• How Gordon Lish Antipicated “The Jinx”
• Gary Indiana’s Art Recasts Voyeurism as Wonder
• TikTok wants me to host a dinner party. Is that an actual recession indicator?
• P. G. Wodehouse Will Squash You Like a Bug
• Herman Melville, Master of the Literary Hoax
• Bisexuality: 37 percent of Americans think it's a choice
• Best soundbar deal: Save $300 on the Sonos Arc
• Fitness trackers for dogs are irresistible to data

• 15 people reveal their wildest misconceptions about sex
• Kanye West stays on brand with a naive pro
• How supporters of Christine Blasey Ford are showing solidarity
• Facebook briefly blocked breaking news stories about its security breach — and that’s a problem
• Ransomware attack hits Port of San Diego
• 'American Horror Story' finally brought its witches back
• Your Instagram account may have been compromised by hackers, too
• 'Fortnite' Season 6 brings Halloween content and adorable pets
• Oculus Quest hands on
• How images like #DonDaleKids let us 'perform' our shock and outrage

• 13 Good Games You Can Play on Laptops and Budget PCs
• YouTube demonetizes Russell Brand's channel following allegations
• Olivia Rodrigo's Casetify collab embraces vintage tech nostalgia
• P. G. Wodehouse Will Squash You Like a Bug
• Things Intel Needs to Fix
• Tim Kirkland, a Piano Tuner, Finds Religion in His Work
• Thomas Morley: My Mistress’ Face
• Victor Moscoso on Zap Comix, Learning, and Unlearning
• Best Sony deal: Save $100 on WH
• How Do You Make Art Last Forever?

• 'Mario Kart World' Nintendo Direct: 3 takeaways
• Microsoft leaks reveal potential existence of 'Fallout 3' remaster
• “Mating” Book Club, Part 4: Socialism vs. Capitalism. Fight.
• Solitude Is the Hardest Thing to Find
• Best earbuds deal: Save 20% on Soundcore Sport X20 by Anker
• Natural Cycles is coming to Apple Watch. So is it safe to use as a contraceptive?
• 'Only Murders in the Building' Season 3: Every end credits Easter egg
• From Standby to NameDrop: 17 new features in iOS 17
• Bomb Envy
• 2021 was the year I became addicted to emoji