Abstract
Caudal autotomy, the ability to shed a portion of the tail, is a widespread defence strategy among lizards. Following caudal autotomy, and during regeneration, lizards face both short- and long-term costs associated with the physical loss of the tail and the energy required for regeneration. As such, the speed at which the individual regenerates its tail (regeneration rate) should reflect the fitness priorities of the individual. However, multiple factors influence the regeneration rate in lizards, making inter-specific comparisons difficult and hindering broader scale investigations. We review regeneration rates for lizards and tuatara from the published literature, discuss how species’ fitness priorities and regeneration rates are influenced by specific, life history and environmental factors, and provide recommendations for future research. Regeneration rates varied extensively (0–4.3 mm/day) across the 56 species from 14 family groups. Species-specific factors, influencing regeneration rates, varied based on the type of fracture plane, age, sex, reproductive season, and longevity. Environmental factors including temperature, photoperiod, nutrition, and stress also affected regeneration rates, as did the method of autotomy induction, and the position of the tail also influenced regeneration rates for lizards. Additionally, regeneration could alter an individual’s behaviour, growth, and reproductive output, but this varied depending on the species.
Highlights
Regeneration, the ‘restoration of a lost body part’, according to Bely and Nyberg [1], is a highly complex physiological process that occurs in many different taxa [2,3,4]
Regeneration rates reported for the agamids can be as rapid as for some intravertebral taxa
Intra-vertebral autotomisers appear to have greater regenerative rates and capacities, it is evident that the type of autotomy does not strictly influence regeneration rates
Summary
Regeneration, the ‘restoration of a lost body part’, according to Bely and Nyberg [1], is a highly complex physiological process that occurs in many different taxa [2,3,4]. Regenerative ability and capacity trends decrease evolutionarily with an increase in cellular complexity, transitioning from aquatic to terrestrial lifestyles, causing the development of endothermy and the evolution of an enhanced immune system that favours rapid wound healing through the formation of scar tissue over regeneration [3,5,7,8]. All vertebrates possess innate immunity, which is quick and non-specific, as well as an adaptive immunity, which is slower and relies upon antibody production [11]. A hallmark of mammalian adaptive immunity, and mostly rely on a strong innate immunity to protect themselves from pathogens [9].
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