I'd read theories that Lickitung was based on a lizard, perhaps a chameleon or blue-tongued skink, but it hit me while doing some research that it's definitely a salamander! Many lungless salamanders, like chameleons, have projectile tongues. Lickitung also appears in damp places (caves, near water, or on rainy routes), just like salamanders. Furthermore, being licked by Lickitung can result in paralysis or a rash, which may nod to the toxins that some salamaders secrete through their skin.
Here's a two-lined salamander (
Eurycea sp.) I found the other day. These salamanders have "free projectile" tongues, meaning that their hyoid bone (or tongue bone) disconnects from their skeleton and launches out with their tongue to maximize reach (which can be nearly the length of the salamander's body).
The yellowish coloring sort of reminds me of Shiny Lickitung
I guess this would make the "Charmander" in my main post more of a Lickitung since that species (a fellow lungless salamander) also has a free projectile tongue and, unlike the salamander above, may be toxic. Charmander would probably be more of a "true salamander" (Salamandridae, which includes fire salamanders) as opposed to a lungless salamander (Plethodontidae). Time for an edit!