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An ancient amphibian is the oldest known animal with a slingshot tongue

A newly described species dubbed Yaksha perettii lived 99 million years ago

ancient amphibian skull

Researchers scanned the 99-million-year-old skull of a now-extinct amphibian and found a long bone (yellow in this computer rendering) with some remnants of the tongue (pink) at one end. Other soft tissue is also shown in pink.

Edward L. Stanley/Florida Museum of Natural History, VG-StudioMax

By Carolyn Gramling

- More than 2 years ago

A tiny amphibian that lived 99 million years ago had a secret weapon: A tongue that shot out of its mouth like a bullet to snatch its prey.