page_title: Autotomy
section_title: Reptiles and amphibians
hierarchical_section_title: Autotomy / Vertebrates / Reptiles and amphibians
caption_attribution_description: English: Photo of Marbled Gecko (Christinus marmoratus) in Adelaide, South Australia. The conspicuous change in the tail pattern indicates regeneration after autotomy.
context_page_description: Autotomy or self-amputation is the behaviour whereby an animal sheds or discards one or more of its own appendages, usually as a self-defense mechanism to elude a predator's grasp or to distract the predator and thereby allow escape. Some animals have the ability to regenerate the lost body part later. Autotomy has multiple evolutionary origins and is thought to have evolved at least nine times independently in animalia.
context_section_description: Some lizards, salamanders and tuatara when caught by the tail will shed part of it in attempting to escape. In many species the detached tail will continue to wriggle, creating a deceptive sense of continued struggle, and distracting the predator's attention from the fleeing prey animal. In addition, many species of lizards such as Plestiodon fasciatus, Cordylosaurus subtessellatus, Holaspis guentheri, Phelsuma barbouri, and Ameiva wetmorei  have elaborately colored blue tails which have been shown to divert predatory attacks toward the tail and away from the body and head. Depending upon the species, the animal may be able to partially regenerate its tail, typically over a period of weeks or months. Though functional, the new tail section often is shorter and will contain cartilage rather than regenerated vertebrae of bone, and in colour and texture the skin of the regenerated organ generally differs distinctly from its original appearance. However, some salamanders can regenerate a morphologically complete and identical tail. Some reptiles such as the crested gecko do not regenerate the tail after autotomy.
caption: The conspicuous change in the tail pattern of this marbled gecko indicates regeneration after autotomy
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