Tweets--

anybody out there know about Alligator lizards? We
were out birding today and found one..my companion
picked it up and held it gently and as he set it
down on a log it's tail separated from its body.
I knew that happened as a defense mechanism, but
it looked like this lizard did it on purpose..
so,

can these lizards jettison their tails at will?

and when the tail breaks off, is it always at the same
vertebrae?

sure was weird to see that tail just twitching away by
itself.. obviously part of the scheme as most predators
would go for the movement.

Tom


Tom Foote footet at elwha.evergreen.edu
Lab II
The Evergreen State College (360) 866-6000 x6118
Olympia, WA 98505