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Britannica Sources used in this answer

How do osteoglossomorph fishes use their tongues while biting food?

Created from Britannica articles using AI. AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
A large pirarucu fish (Arapaima gigas) with dark scales and reddish tail swims in an aquarium, with tree-like structures and aquatic plants in the background.
osteoglossomorph

Osteoglossomorph fishes are unique among fishes because they utilize their tongues as the opposing surface for their teeth when biting into food. This specialized mechanism allows them to effectively process their prey by pressing it against the tongue's surface during the biting action.1