It is a Mushroom-Tongued Salamander, from the genus Bolitoglossa. It’s not any specific species, and the image below is not the image that I used as a reference, but it actually resembles the logo more than the image I used as a reference.
Hahaha! They are called “nasolabial grooves” and through capillary action it helps move odor particles towards the vomeronasal organ. They tap their snout on surfaces to collect odors and pheromones.
It makes a lot of sense when you think about it. These salamanders belong to the “Lungless Salamander” family. They can’t rely on their lungs to pull-in the odor molecules, so they have to rely on a different trick!
GlennMagusHarvey@mander.xyz 1 year ago
What is our mascot, anyway?
Sal@mander.xyz 1 year ago
It is a Mushroom-Tongued Salamander, from the genus Bolitoglossa. It’s not any specific species, and the image below is not the image that I used as a reference, but it actually resembles the logo more than the image I used as a reference.
Image
GlennMagusHarvey@mander.xyz 1 year ago
I finally got a chance to look this up and this is the weirdest and most fascinating salamander face I’ve ever seen.
Sal@mander.xyz 1 year ago
Ha, their webbed-feet are also pretty cool. They are arboreal salamanders.
webbed feet from Bolitoglossa
Bonus X-ray image:
Image
They can also shoot their tongue ballistically to capture prey: www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Q4XYpjBNsc
And don’t get me started on Bolitoglossa jacksoni…
Come back any time for more Bolitoglossid facts 😜
GlennMagusHarvey@mander.xyz 1 year ago
also lol i failed herpetology by called those things “chelicera”
Sal@mander.xyz 1 year ago
Hahaha! They are called “nasolabial grooves” and through capillary action it helps move odor particles towards the vomeronasal organ. They tap their snout on surfaces to collect odors and pheromones.
It makes a lot of sense when you think about it. These salamanders belong to the “Lungless Salamander” family. They can’t rely on their lungs to pull-in the odor molecules, so they have to rely on a different trick!
Some more info here: www.britannica.com/animal/lungless-salamander