Functional morphology and evolution of tail autotomy in salamanders

Abstract

Abstract Basal tail constriction occurs in about two‐thirds of the species of plethodontid salamanders. The constriction, which marks the site of tail autotomy, is a result of a reduction in length and diameter of the first caudal segment. Gross and microscopic anatomical studies reveal that many structural specializations are associated with basal constriction, and these are considered in detail. Areas of weakness in the skin at the posterior end of the first caudal segment, at the attachment of the musculature to the intermyotomal septum at the anterior end of the same segment, and between the last caudosacral and first caudal vertebrae precisely define the route of tail breakage. During autotomy the entire tail is shed, and a cylinder of skin one segment long closes over the wound at the end of the body. It is suggested that specializations described in this paper have evolved independently in three different groups of salamanders. Experiments and field observations reveal that, contrary to expectations, frequency of tail breakage is less in species with apparent provisions for tail autotomy than in less specialized species. The tail is a very important, highly functional organ in salamanders and it is suggested that selection has been for behavioral and structural adaptations for control of tail loss, rather than for tail loss per se .