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What does autotomy mean?

Looking for the meaning or definition of the word autotomy? Here's what it means.

Noun
  1. (chiefly zoology) The spontaneous removal of a limb, tail etc, especially by some invertebrates as a self-defense mechanism.
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Examples
Lizards have a variety of antipredator adaptations, including running and climbing, venom, camouflage, tail autotomy, and reflex bleeding.
The division of a protozoan into two cells and the splitting of a worm into two halves may be regarded as cases of autotomy.
Comparison of autotomy behavior induced in rats by various clinically used neurectomy methods.
Most investigation into such an antipredatory benefit has focused on caudal autotomy in vertebrate taxa.
I could not assess at what point during the predation encounters the lizards employed autotomy.
This is perhaps because any injury between the tip of the meropodite and the point of autotomy invariably causes a breakage at the latter point.

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