Caudal autotomy, the ability to shed the tail, is common in lizards as a response to attempted
predation. Since Arnold's substantial review of caudal autotomy as a defence in reptiles 20 …

Autotomy, the self‐induced loss of a body part, occurs throughout Animalia. A lizard
drop** its tail to escape predation is an iconic example, however, autotomy occurs in a …

Interspecific comparisons have played a prominent role in evolutionary biology at least since
the time of Charles Darwin. Since 1985, the “comparative method” has been revitalized by …

In this study, I utilize the expected functional relationships between claw and toe morphology
and clinging performance as a basis for examining evolutionary trends across 85 lizard taxa …

Although lizards have been model organisms for testing locomotor performance and in
ecomorphological studies, the limb movements of lizards during high-speed locomotion are …

Widespread niche convergence suggests that species can be organized according to
functional trait combinations to create a framework analogous to a periodic table. We …

We measured sprint performance of phrynosomatid lizards and selected outgroups (n= 27
species). Maximal sprint running speeds were obtained with a new measurement technique …

Self-amputation (autotomy) of the tail is essential for the survival of many lizards.
Accordingly, it has garnered the attention of scientists for more than 200 years. Several …

Sacrificing body parts is one of many behaviors that animals use to escape predation. This
trait, termed autotomy, is classically associated with lizards. However, several other taxa …

The survival of both the hunter and the hunted often comes down to speed. Yet how fast an
animal can run is intricately linked to its size, such that the fastest animals are not the biggest …