2007-09-13 15:54:19 · 2 answers · asked by mud v 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Biology
Given that tongues are soft tissue and therefore wouldn't be very well-represented in the fossil record, I doubt anybody's going to have a great answer for this one. Still, I will wait along with you to see what folks have to say.
2007-09-13 16:06:17 · answer #1 · answered by Lucas C 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I'm not a "tongue biologist" - but here is an article on the evolution of the tongue in vertebrates, and its adaptation in different animals to different habitats / diets:
http://www.pubmedcentral.nih.gov/articlerender.fcgi?artid=1570891
Tongues are not found in fish - only in amphibians and "higher" in the vertebrates, and appears to have evolved as the animals adapted for life on the land in order to assist with the intake of food in a non-aqueous environment.
2007-09-14 04:15:34 · answer #2 · answered by gribbling 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋