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Autotomy Essay

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Abstract Autotomy occurs in many animals, but most research focuses on lizards as the trait occurs in the majority of all lizard families (Downes & Shine, 2001). The most common form of autotomy in this order is caudal autotomy, relating to the tail. What has possibly made this adaptation so advantageous is the ability of many lizard species to regenerate their tail after autotomy. Being able to grow a secondary tail that can perform the same antipredator function is highly beneficial, and other tail functions such as post-autotomous thrashing and bright coloration enhance autotomous behavior greatly. The loss of a limb may appear catastrophic for some organisms, but there are many species that will do it voluntarily when faced with a threat. …show more content…

In some species, post-autotomous tails retain the ability to flex, diverting the attention of the predator away from the escaping lizard to the rapidly undulating tail. Acrobatic flips are occasionally performed by the severed tails of some species, and many others enjoy great dexterity even when not attached to their parent body (Hingham & Russell, 2009). The movement of the autotomized tail is independent of brain activity and is instead governed by a network of neurons inside the spine. While predictable central pattern generators are not uncommon in nature, lizard species like the Tokay gecko (gekko gecko) have incorporated erratic and complicated movements into their autotomized tail displays (Hingham & Russell, 2009). This unpredictable behavior is meant to appear novel and thus noticeable to the predator, preventing it from pursuing the rest of the gecko body. The mechanism of tail loss involves the coordination of many tissues in the tail to prevent serious damage or danger to the lizard. Vertebrae are specialized in intravertebral autotomous lizards, containing a fracture through the side of vertebra near the disconnection site (Gilbert et al 2013). Most autotomous lizards contain fractured vertebrae, but a few others autotomize intervertebrally, separating between

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