Final answer:
Frog tongues are adapted for their carnivorous diet, attached at the front of the lower jaw and capable of rapid extension to catch insects with a sticky surface. They lack lower jaw teeth, swallow food whole, and possess specialized upper jaw and vomerine teeth for securing prey.
Step-by-step explanation:
The tongue of a frog is markedly different from that of a human, both in structure and function. A frog's tongue is attached at the front of the lower jaw, unlike the human tongue which is attached at the back. This allows the frog to rapidly launch its tongue outward to catch prey, an action essential for its diet of insects and other small creatures.
The frog's tongue is also long and covered with a sticky substance which facilitates the capture of insects, one of the frog's primary food sources. As insects come into contact with the frog's tongue, they get ensnared by the sticky substance, allowing the frog to quickly retract its tongue and consume the prey. This biological adaptation is ideal for the amphibian's carnivorous feeding habits.
Frogs typically swallow their food whole, given that they lack lower jaw teeth and have limited or no chewing capability. Some species have upper jaw teeth to hold prey, reflecting a specialization in their feeding mechanism. The speed and precision of a frog's tongue are akin to an insect-catching tool, demonstrating the specialized evolution of amphibian mouthparts.