Tail Autotomy in the Florida Mouse, Peromyscus floridanus

Tail autotomy and subsequent regeneration alter the mechanics of locomotion in lizards

“…Autotomy is a predator-escape strategy documented for a broad range of taxa (Fleming et al, 2007), including crabs (Bennett, 1973), spiders (Parry, 1957;Amaya et al, 2001), echinoderms (Emson and Wilkie, 1980), salamanders (Wake and Dresner, 1967), lizards (Congdon et al, 1974;Daniels, 1983;Arnold, 1984;Cooper and Vitt, 1985;Bateman and Fleming, 2009) and even some rodents (Sumner and Collins, 1918;Layne, 1972). Most commonly examined in lizards, this voluntary shedding of an appendage generally occurs in response to a predatory stimulus.…”

Tail autotomy in the common dormouse (Muscardinus avellanarius): Some ecological aspects

“…Frequency of occurrence of tail autotomy in two Lithuanian common dormouse populations was the lowest in comparison to some other rodent species that undergo tail loss. For example, the proportion of tail-less individuals was 5.9% and 7.1% in two Florida mouse populations (Layne 1972). In Ghana, 18% of wild black rats had broken tails (Michener 1976).…”

“…A presumption on the adaptive value of autotomy was made also for Proechimys: owing to the increasing percentage of occurrence from young to old, tail autotomy seems to enhance the survival chances of its owner (Dubost and Gasc 1987). Tail autotomy in rodents has usually been related to predator avoidance (e.g., Go¨gl 1930;Layne 1972;Shargal et al 1999;McKee and Adler 2002), although some authors (e.g., Storch 1978;Stubbe et al 1986;Shargal et al 1999) recognise that intraspecific aggression might also result in tail loss.…”

“…Such a case was observed in captivity, when domestic cat pressed a dormouse tail to the floor and broke off part of the tail skin (Jusˇkaitis unpublished). An analogous case, when a dog pounced on the tail of a Florida mouse, is described by Layne (1972).…”

“…In general, earlier studies of tail loss were not accompanied by field research, and only anatomical/histological aspects of this phenomenon were studied (e.g., Go¨gl 1930;Mohr 1941). Several later studies dealt also with some ecological aspects of tail loss in rodents: Florida mouse (Peromyscus floridanus) (Layne 1972), black rat (Rattus rattus) (Michener 1976), common spiny mouse (Acomys cahirinus) and golden spiny mouse (A. russatus) (Shargal et al 1999) as well as Central and South American spiny rats (Proechimys) (Dubost and Gasc 1987;McKee and Adler 2002). False tail autotomy in dormice (Gliridae) is a well-known phenomenon, which is mentioned in some generalised publications on these rodents (e.g., Vietinghoff-Riesch 1960;Storch 1978;Airapetyants 1983;Morris 1997;Rossolimo et al 2001).…”