Have you ever wondered: why does the lizard drop its tail? Or perhaps, how can they grow back?
The lizard is not the only animal capable of getting rid of its tail, other reptiles can also do it, some examples are: geckos, iguanas and skinks. This ability is technically known as caudal autonomy.
But you may be wondering: how is it possible for an organ to separate from your body without pain? It turns out that these reptiles have a muscular ring in the region of the base of the tail that, when making a strong contraction, is capable of cutting the limb. By analyzing the base of the tail, scientists have observed a series of structures that function as plugs that are disconnected when the tail is cut.
Getting rid of a member is an extreme measure that implies a decrease in the activity and speed of the animal. Complete regeneration of the tail depends on feeding, involves a high energy cost and can take a few months.
To ensure that muscle and blood loss are minimal, this animal has muscular sphincters and fracture planes. The new tail is not the same as the previous one, they generally present differences in both their texture and their coloration.
The purpose of releasing its tail is to distract the predator, which turns its attention to the organ that continues to move thanks to spasmodic contractions, while the reptile manages to flee and save its life. Some lizards have a different coloration on the tail in order to attract the attention of predators.
The regenerative capacity of the tail is due to the presence of undifferentiated cells, also known as stem cells. It is fascinating how an animal is capable of getting rid of a part of its body without showing pain and running away in a risky situation.
📚 Data source:
No comments:
Post a Comment