Present participle of autotomise; the ongoing process of self-amputation or self-detachment.
From 'autotomise' + present participle '-ing'. British English form used to describe the action in progress.
Watching an autotomising starfish or lizard in slow-motion is wild—the body part doesn't just fall off, there's an actual coordinated muscle contraction that severs the connection. It's almost like the animal has built-in emergency scissors.
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