Present participle of autotomize; the ongoing process of self-amputation or self-detachment.
From 'autotomize' (American spelling) + present participle '-ing'. American English form describing the action in progress.
A crab autotomizing its claw is one of the most dramatic escapes in nature—the limb doesn't just fall off, special muscles contract to seal the wound instantly and prevent blood loss. The crab immediately tastes the detached limb to assess the injury.
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