Question

Which of the following animals has a long sticky tongue?
A. Cow
B. Eagles
C. Pangolins
D. Cheetahs

Answer 1

The tongue is mostly used to swallow the food but in some organisms, the tongue is being used to catch the food or prey. The long sticky tongue is the characteristic feature of those organisms that want to catch their prey that is very small in size and is capable of escaping easily.

Complete answer:

Option (A) is incorrect. A cow is a herbivorous animal that depends on plants to obtain its food. The tongue of a cow is not sticky rather it is rough like sandpaper. It uses its tongue to lick its calf dry after birth that helps in encouraging the process of circulation and respiration in the calf and also dries him at the same time.
Option (B) is incorrect. Eagles are many large groups of birds of prey. They are powerfully built with heavy heads and beaks. Their large hooked beaks are used for ripping the flesh from their prey. The tongue of eagles is short; narrow that fits between the ridges of their beaks and is quite flexible that is used for swallowing of food.
Option (C) is correct. Pangolins (mammal) are sometimes also known as scaly anteaters because of the presence of large, protective scales made of keratin that covers their skin. They have a long sticky tongue that can reach upto 40 cm when extended. Its tongue is attached near the pelvis and the last pair of the ribs, the feature unlikely to that of mammals.
Option (D) is incorrect. Cheetah is the fastest land animal and is a carnivore. It has long thin legs and a long tail that makes the build of its body light thus helping the cheetah to run at a very fast speed. The tongue of a cheetah is covered with papillae or barb-like projection (projections of keratin that make up our hair and nails). Thus, its tongue can be referred to as a sandpaper tongue that is not sticky.

Hence, the correct option is (C).

Note:
Pangolins are also called scaly anteaters as they possess scales covering their skin and also they feed on termites and ants. So, to catch the ants and termites, they have a long extendable tongue, and also the presence of sticky saliva on the tongue makes it easy for them to catch their prey.