Lizard Tail Autotomy: Some Aspects of its Ecology and Energetics
Description:
Autotomy (self-induced loss) of body parts has evolved independently as a predator defense mechanism in several major animal phyla. The mechanism among vertebrates, including 13 of the 20 recognized lizard families, is tail autotomy. Its occurrence among the majority of lizard families offers an excellent opportunity to examine the effects of a major selective force on the ecology and evolution of a group of organisms. The research of this study was designed to examine experimentally (i) the fu…
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Date:
December 1981
Creator:
Dial, Benjamin Edward