The way in which the lizards defend themselves will depend on the species, fleeing, climbing trees or shedding their tails. Lizards are fairly small reptiles, with quick, nervous movements.
They stick out their long tongue to test the air or terrain, and thus take information from the environment. Geckos use it to clean their eyes, and chameleons use it to catch insects.
Almost all lizards are terrestrial, with the exception of the polar regions. Some species live underground, and others live on tree trunks.
Most of them are carnivorous and feed on insects, birds, small mammals, eggs or other reptiles.
What is the defense system of the lizards?
The defense behavior that lizards possess is caudal autonomy. It is widespread among lizards and some snakes, and serves as a distraction from an enemy.
In the face of imminent attack by a predator, the loss of the tail is a very effective defense mechanism.
Lizards wag their tails in the presence of danger, as an element of distraction. There are even some that have more striking colors on their tails to attract them.
In nature, these movements and coloring are interpreted as an adaptation to avoid an attack on the body or the head. In this way the attack is diverted to a less vulnerable and more "protected" area.
Studies that have been carried out have shown a relationship between caudal autonomy and the pressure that means for some species of lizards and lizards to be subjected to predation.
The difference is in their tails
It has been shown that among the different species the majority of attacks are directed at the tails. In addition, as the young specimens are more colored, they do not suffer the attack of their peers. This is because he is not considered a competitor due to his lack of maturity.
In species that have the ability to lose their tail in an attack, the tail detaching itself self-takes (detaches at will).
This queue keeps moving for a while, from a few minutes to half an hour. This distracts the predator, believing its victim is injured, while the lizard runs away.
The lizard's tail has fracture planes, where it will be cut, and muscular sphincters that block the blood flow. This means that the loss of the tail does not cause bleeding or loss of muscle mass.
Once detached at will, the tail continues to wag thanks to a complex neuromuscular control system. This movement is possible due to the glycogen that is deposited in its tail.
Although it allows him to save his life, which is not little, the loss of the tail has negative consequences for the lizard. Their ability to move is affected by the loss of balance when escaping.
Also without the tail, an attack can be, in most cases, fatal. Its regeneration capacity depends on the species and its diet, and varies from four to seven months.
References
- «Lizards» in: Macf111 (September 2012). Recovered on September 6, 2017 in Macf111: macf111.blogspot.com.ar/
- "Why do lizards shed their tails?" in: ABC Ciencia (September 2013). Retrieved on September 6, 2017 in ABC Ciencia: abc.es
- "Red defends lizards from their predators" in: CienciaPlus / Laboratorio (April 2015). Retrieved on September 6, 2017 in CienciaPlus / Europa Press: europapress.es.