verb
- to shed or cast off a part of the body (such as a limb or tail) as a natural defense mechanism
Usage: biology
Examples
- Lizards can autotomize their tails when threatened by predators.
- Some starfish autotomize their arms to escape danger.
- The gecko will autotomize its tail if grabbed by a bird.
- Crabs may autotomize a claw when attacked.
- The ability to autotomize body parts helps many animals survive predation.
- Scientists study how animals autotomize limbs and then regenerate them.