Jettisoning ballast or fuel? Caudal autotomy and locomotory energetics of the Cape dwarf gecko Lygodactylus capensis (Gekkonidae).

Autotomy, tail regeneration and jumping ability in Cape dwarf geckos (Lygodactylus capensis) (Gekkonidae)

Many studies have examined the effect of caudal autotomy on speed and behaviour of lizards escaping over horizontal surfaces, but there have been few studies on lizards escaping over vertical surfaces and, in particular, species that jump between surfaces. We examined jumping by the Cape dwarf gecko (Lygodactylus capensis) in terms of individuals’ varying states of tail autotomy and regeneratio...

A new species of Lygodactylus (Squamata: Gekkonidae) endemic to Mount Namuli, an isolated 'sky island' of northern Mozambique.

A new species of high elevation dwarf gecko (Gekkonidae: Lygodactylus) is described from Mount Namuli, northern Mozambique. This new species is distinguished from other closely related species in the genus Lygodactylus by body size, scalation, and color, and is genetically divergent from congeners. The species is most similar genetically and morphologically to Lygodactylus rex, the King Dwarf G...

Unique Structural Features Facilitate Lizard Tail Autotomy

Autotomy refers to the voluntary shedding of a body part; a renowned example is tail loss among lizards as a response to attempted predation. Although many aspects of lizard tail autotomy have been studied, the detailed morphology and mechanism remains unclear. In the present study, we showed that tail shedding by the Tokay gecko (Gekko gecko) and the associated extracellular matrix (ECM) ruptu...

An Undescribed Gecko (Gekkonidae: Cyrtodactylus) from Deer Cave, Gunung Mulu National Park, Sarawak, with Comments on the Distribution of Bornean Cave Geckos

Controlled chaos: three-dimensional kinematics, fiber histochemistry, and muscle contractile dynamics of autotomized lizard tails.

The ability to shed an appendage occurs in both vertebrates and invertebrates, often as a tactic to avoid predation. The tails of lizards, unlike most autotomized body parts of animals, exhibit complex and vigorous movements once disconnected from the body. Despite the near ubiquity of autotomy across groups of lizards and the fact that this is an extraordinary event involving the self-severing...