The voluntary or reflexive detachment of a body part, usually a tail or limb, as a defense mechanism against predators.
From Greek 'auto-' (self) + 'tome' (cut). Scientific term established in 19th-century zoology to describe this specific survival strategy.
Autotomy is a brilliant evolutionary strategy—losing your tail beats losing your life. What's mind-blowing is that some animals have evolved special 'breaking points' in their skeletons specifically designed to snap cleanly, minimizing damage and blood loss.
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