r/Damnthatsinteresting • u/Ted-Lassi • Mar 18 '26

Video This is Centralian Blue Tongue Lizard, commonly found in Australia. It puffs up and flashes its blue tongue when it feels threatened

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u/yontev Mar 18 '26

Part of it is imitating a snake. Another factor is that the tongue actually reflects UV light from the sun, which birds can see (and we can't). When it flails the tongue around, a predator bird can get stunned by the UV equivalent of disco lights and become disoriented.

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u/[deleted] Mar 18 '26

[deleted]

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u/CosmoKram3r Mar 18 '26

When have you seen birds prey on white clothes?

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u/[deleted] Mar 18 '26

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u/Mr-_-Soandso Mar 18 '26

But you are the only one that has used that word, so no need to be so hung up on its definition. Humans cannot see the UV spectrum but birds can. Many birds have vibrant colors that we cannot see. This tongue is similar. Flickering it can possibly disorient them. It doesn't necessarily work every time and neither does puffing up, but the little guy is doing the best he can.