Autotomy
Version 1.0.0 · Updated 2026-07-28
CORE DEFINITION
Autotomy ('self-amputation', from the Ancient Greek auto-, "self-" and tome, "severing") is the behaviour whereby an animal sheds or discards an appendage, usually as a self-preservation mechanism to elude a predator's grasp or to distract the predator and thereby allow escape. Some animals are able to regenerate the lost body part later. Autotomy is thought to have evolved independently at least
SCAFFOLDING EFFECT
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Autotomy ('self-amputation', from the Ancient Greek auto-, "self-" and tome, "severing") is the behaviour whereby an animal sheds or discards an appendage, usually as a self-preservation mechanism to elude a predator's grasp or to distract the predator and thereby allow escape. Some animals are able to regenerate the lost body part later. Autotomy is thought to have evolved independently at least
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When threatened, certain animals actively sever and discard body parts (gecko tails, sea cucumber viscera, starfish arms) to distract predators or escape entanglement; the lost parts are often regenerable. This is a survival strategy that trades a controlled local loss for overall survival, essentially decoupling 'dispensable parts' from 'core life'.
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Source support: Explicit
- en.wikipedia.orghttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Autotomyverified
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