Which snake organ detects scent particles collected by a snake’s flicking tongue?

Jacobson’s organ detects scent particles collected by a snake’s flicking tongue.

Also called the vomeronasal organ, Jacobson’s organ is a paired chemical-sensing structure in the roof of a snake’s mouth. When a snake flicks its forked tongue, the tongue gathers airborne or surface chemicals and transfers them to the organ.

The forked tongue helps a snake compare chemical concentrations on its left and right sides. This can provide directional information about prey, predators, mates, or familiar trails. The tongue itself is not primarily a tasting organ in the ordinary human sense.

Snakes also use ordinary nasal smell, but the vomeronasal system adds a specialized way to analyze environmental chemicals. Pit organs, found in some snakes such as boas, pythons, and pit vipers, are different structures that detect infrared radiation and help locate warm prey.