@bird.flyi: Red Herring 📽 by @doctorazo Southern alligator lizard decoys itself out of a tight spot Not all lizards can drop their tails when push comes to shove, but the ones that can possess one of the natural world's most incredible get out of jail free cards. Just like a warplane evading enemy missile lock by deploying a salvo of flares, the sacrificial tail-drop gives the target a chance to escape while the hunter is distracted by its mesmerizing wiggle. This process, known as autotomy, is only possible due to three special adaptations: Specialized vertebrae and connective tissue, known as fracture planes or autotomy planes, are made up of weakened zones of connective tissue that run through the vertebrae and allow the tail to easily break off when the lizard is under stress or in danger. When a lizard “detects missile lock” and decides to “drop flares” it contracts special muscles around the autotomy planes. These contractions cause the tail to break off along the predetermined fracture planes, with minimal damage to the surrounding tissue. These first 2 adaptations would be negated completely if the lizard were to bleed out moments after releasing countermeasures, and the third adaptation addresses this by automatically constricting the blood vessels around the breakage point to keep said bleeding to a minimum. As for regeneration of the dropped tail, while most lizards are capable of regrowth in the tail region, the appendage that replaces the original is not the same. Instead of vertebrae, the lizard's new tail uses cartilage, and the tail may be shorter and move differently than the stock one. In some species, autotomy is possible with a regenerated tail, but the breakage points in the new tail may not be as clearly defined, which could make a clean break on the second go around more difficult. Also, the regenerated tail might not move independently of the body in the same way, which might not distract the would-be predator from the main course. Imagine yourself being attacked by an unspecified predator. Which part of your body would you sacrifice and leave behind in order to deliver you from certain death? #natureismetal #keepnaturemetal