Excerpted from the Russian Journal of Herpetology

At approximately 6 months of age, the common western infant (Emmettilius stranmccannii) masters motor control of its tongue and engages in lingual projection. While the reasons for such a display are a source of debate, many believe that E. stranmccannii uses its tongue to track its prey by collecting airborne particles and passing them to the eustachian tubes in its mouth for examination. The creature keeps its tongue constantly in motion, sampling particles from the air, ground, and water analyzing the chemicals found and determining the presence of prey, predators, or toys in its local environment. Lingual projections are also thought to provide some relief for E. stranmccannii from discomfort associated with the emergence of fangs at the 6-month milestone.