Seemingly spring-loaded and able to catch the speediest of flies, the chameleon's sticky tongue is a formidable weapon.
Now experts have revealed the secrets behind its ballistic ability - and they include three subtle mechanisms of the tongue that work in perfect harmony.
The interplay between the tongue's sticky pad, muscles and a small bone, allow it to accelerate at 8,000 feet (2,500 metres) per second.
Ready to launch: A new study has analysed the mechanics of the chameleon's projectile tongue (pictured). Researchers found that the biological mouth harpoon only works thanks to three subtle mechanisms which combine to give the reptiles their ballistic strike
Researchers at the University of Oxford and Tufts University in Massachusetts said: 'The ballistic mechanism of the chameleon is a striking example of mechanical innovation and the use of elasticity to generate rapid motion in the animal kingdom.'
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Share 23 shares'We have developed a mathematical framework for the firing mechanism of the chameleon tongue.'
It's made up of three main parts: the sticky pad at the end, the coils of accelerator muscles which launch it and the retractor muscles – both of which are coiled around a small horn of bone in the mouth called the hyoid.
Once the accelerator muscles begin to contract, the tongue is launched off the bone, extending the length of the animal's body, thanks to the stretchy intranlingual sheaths connecting the tip of the tongue with its bony launch pad in the mouth
CHAMELEON'S BALLISTIC TONGUE
Researchers at the University of Oxford focusing on how the chameleon strikes out at its lunch have broken the process into the three parts.
The chameleon's tongue is made up of the sticky pad at the end, accelerator muscles which launch it, and the retractor muscles – with the structure coiled around a small horn of bone in the mouth called the hyoid, like a sock.
In the resting state, the concentric circles of muscle are coiled around the hyoid, on top of layers of elastic collagen tissue called the intralingual sheaths. When the accelerator muscles contract, the tongue is launched off the bone.
According to the team, the whole firing mechanism involves the fine balance between how the sheaths and muscles are organised, how collagen fibres are orientated, and the mechanics of the contraction and extension of the tongue itself.
Their mathematical modelling revealed that tweaking the angle of the fibres, or the width of the sheaths can alter the force of the firing mechanism.
The accelerator muscle is constructed from criss-crossing fibres.
In the resting state, the concentric circles of muscle are coiled around the hyoid on top of layers of elastic collagen tissue called the intralingual sheaths.
As the chameleon gets ready to strike, the accelerator muscles contract, flattening and building up the force.
Once the accelerator muscles begin to contract, the tongue is launched off the bone, extending the length of the animal's body thanks to the stretchy intranlingual sheaths connecting the tip of the tongue with its bony launch pad in the mouth.
This is why the tongue is seen to be straight for a short distance after leaving the mouth, before it starts to bend – as the tongue leaves the hyoid bone.
After a strike, contractor muscles pull the tongue – and whatever is stuck to it – back into the mouth and onto the hyoid bone, resetting the tongue's machinery.
All of this has to occur in less time than it takes for their prey to fly away, so the tongue can accelerate to more than 8,000 feet (2,500 metres) per second.
Dr Derek Moulton, a mathematician at Oxford and first author of the study, told MailOnline: 'While biologists had developed an excellent empirical understanding, we wanted to have both a qualitative understanding and a quantitative description of the mechanism.
'By building a mathematical model of the tongue apparatus...we have fully uncovered how the interactions of the various substructures of the tongue conspire to build up elastic energy and then release it with such rapid acceleration.'
According to the team, the whole firing mechanism involves the fine balance between how the sheaths and muscles are organised, how collagen fibres are orientated and the mechanics of the contraction and extension of the tongue itself.
A colourful Jackson's chameleon waits on its perch (pictured). Chameleon tongues are made up of three main parts: the sticky pad at the end' the coils of accelerator muscles which launch it, and the retractor muscles – both of which are coiled around a small horn of bone in the mouth called the hyoid
The chameleon's tongue is made up of the sticky pad at the end, accelerator muscles (labelled yellow) which launch it, and the retractor muscles – with the structure coiled around a small horn of bone in the mouth called the hyoid (labelled 'ep' on diagram), like a sock. In the resting state, the concentric circles of muscle are coiled around the hyoid, on top of layers of elastic collagen tissue called the intralingual sheaths (labelled blue)
They wrote in the study, published in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society A, that it is not just the muscles which generate the force, but energy is also stored in the collagen tissue as well as in the stretching and deforming of the tongue – all of which add up to a highly energetic firing mechanism.
They explain: 'Our model connects within a single mathematical framework the several distinct features necessary for successful projection - it requires sufficient initial tongue extension, internal elastic energy formed through the deformations and interactions of different layers, and a means of efficient energy conversion to produce directed motion.'
Beyond understanding the biological mechanism and how similar motions may apply to other animals, it could potentially lead to better robotic arms and pneumatically activated devices.
Dr Moulton told MailOnline: 'Above all, our research is curiosity driven and our goal in this instance was to understand a fascinating phenomenon.'
HOW CHAMELEONS CATCH THEIR PREY
The panther chameleon is able to shoot out its tongue to almost twice its body length
The tiny panther chameleon is able to shoot out its tongue to almost twice its body length in little more than 0.07 seconds.
Like all chameleons, it has a bone in the base of its tongue that fixes the powerful muscles, along with special tissue that effectively works as a spring.
When a muscle called the long accelerator contracts, the retractor muscles relaxes.
This causes other muscles to press against collagen springs, giving it incredible power and speed.
The tongue's tip is a bulbous ball of muscle, and as it hits its prey it forms a small suction cup to grab hold of a fly, for example.
With eyes that operate independently like gun turrets, the remarkable reptile also has a full 360-degree arc of vision around itself.
In July, scientists revealed a chameleon's brain can coordinate its eyes to help them focus on prey, even though they move independently.
This allows the animal to flick from stereo to mono vision when hunting.
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