Lizard Dropped Its Tail 99 Million Years Ago, Amber Preserved Evidence
Paleontologists have discovered a 99-million-year-old lizard tail preserved in amber, providing the earliest evidence of caudal autotomy. This defensive mechanism, where a lizard sheds its tail to escape predators, has remained largely unchanged for millions of years.
Why it matters
This fossil provides critical insight into the evolutionary history of defensive behaviors in vertebrates.
A tiny piece of amber from Myanmar has captured a defensive maneuver that lizards still use today: shedding part of their tail to escape a predator. The fossil provides direct evidence that this defensive mechanism was already in operation in mid-Cretaceous forest ecosystems.
General view of the amber piece from Myanmar, arrows highlighting the debris stuck to the initial resin flow at the level of the ventral surface of the tail. Image credit: Fabrikant et al ., doi: 10.26879/1706.
Tail shedding is a widespread defense among living lizards.
When threatened, a lizard can leave its tail behind while escaping; the detached appendage may continue moving, distracting a predator long enough for the animal to get away.
This strategy has costs, however, affecting locomotion, growth, reproduction and other aspects of the animal’s life.
Despite its prevalence today, the evolutionary history of the behavior has been difficult to establish.
Get smarter about the news
Sign up free for a feed built around what you actually care about, Dive Deeper research on any story, and the full text of every article.
Create free accountAlready have an account? Sign in