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389:, which are either distracted by the wriggling detached tail or only manages to seize the severed tail while the lizard flees. Tails cast in this manner generally grow back over time, though the replacement is typically darker in colour than the original and contains only
476:, but this is regarded as an abnormality rather than a vestigial true tail, even when such an appendage is located where the tail would be expected. Fewer than 40 cases have been reported of infants with "true tails" containing the caudal vertebrae, a result of
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What
Kunitomo (1918) designated the "longest tail" at stage 16 is nothing of the kind but is merely the caudal end of the embryo, which will develop into the coccygeal region.
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which develops into the end of the spine. However, this is not a tail. Infrequently, a child is born with a "soft tail", which contains no vertebrae, but only
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species flash the white underside of their tails to warn other nearby deer of possible danger, beavers slap the water with their tails to indicate danger,
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In 2024, scientists claimed to have found a genetic mutation that contributed to the loss of the tail in the common ancestor of humans and other apes.
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Outwitting Cats: Tips, Tricks and
Techniques for Persuading the Felines in Your Life That What You Want Is Also What They Want
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Mackenzie, SJ (2015). "Innervation and function of rat tail muscles for modeling cauda equina injury and repair".
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to generate a distinct rattling noise that signals aggression and warns potential predators to stay away.
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are known to use their long tails to stun prey. Many species of snakes wiggle their tails
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of the tail. While tails are primarily considered a feature of vertebrates, some
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1384:"How humans lost their tails — and why the discovery took 2.5 years to publish"
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and sweep off other biting insects. Some animals with broad, furry tails (e.g.
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Animal tails are used in a variety of ways. They provide a source of
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A Stillness in the Pines: The
Ecology of the Red-cockaded Woodpecker
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Many animals use their tail for utility purposes, for example many
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Tail-shaped objects are sometimes referred to as "caudate" (e.g.
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Tail-like structure on a female newborn from coccyx protrusion
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Beneath the
Surface: A Natural History of a Fisherman's Lake
896:(1). Azabu University School of Veterinary Medicine: 45–58.
498:. It does not normally protrude externally - humans are an
385:("cast") their tails from their bodies to help them escape
397:
demonstrate a similar function with their tails, known as
830:
Mary Pope
Osborne; Natalie Pope Boyce (28 October 2014).
158:(Arctic fox) sleeping with its tail wrapped as a blanket.
1043:
Stephen J. Divers; Douglas R. Mader (13 December 2005).
428:—modified tail feathers play an important role in
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use their tails to communicate mood and intention. Some
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Chemical
Signals: Vertebrates and Aquatic Invertebrates
886:"Dogs' Body Language Relevant to Learning Achievement"
190:
species of vertebrates that do not need to swim, e.g.
27:
Distinct, flexible appendage to the torso of an animal
941:. Springer Science & Business Media. p. 47.
803:
Gilbert WALDBAUER; Gilbert
Waldbauer (30 June 2009).
362:
through the positioning and movement of their tails.
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244:) often wrap the tail around the body as means of
1274:"The 'human tail' causing tethered cervical cord"
1222:"Developmental Stages in Human Embryos: Stage 16"
1016:Stanley Coren; Sarah Hodgson (15 February 2011).
884:Masashi Hasegawa; Nobuyo Ohtani (February 2014).
1300:Shad, Jimmy; Biswas, Rakesh (April 18, 2012).
836:. Random House Children's Books. p. 113.
806:What Good Are Bugs? Insects in the Web of Life
728:. Rowman & Littlefield. 2004. p. 21.
989:Sunquist, Mel; Sunquist, Fiona (2017-05-15).
968:. Minnesota Historical Society. p. 240.
490:) attached to the pelvis; it comprises fused
8:
1247:"Human tail–caudal appendage: tethered cord"
68:extending backwards from the midline of the
30:"Tails" redirects here. For other uses, see
833:Magic Tree House Fact & Fiction: Horses
1049:. Elsevier Health Sciences. p. 3468.
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911:
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809:. Harvard University Press. p. 253.
323:as defensive weapons against predators.
688:
515:
1022:. John Wiley & Sons. p. 250.
935:D. Muller-Schwarze (6 December 2012).
137:" (which is considered a more precise
53:is the elongated section at the rear (
1224:. the Endowment for Human Development
494:, usually four, at the bottom of the
7:
1349:Weisberger, Mindy (March 23, 2024).
1147:. Marshall Cavendish. 2000. p.
962:Bruce M. Carlson (14 October 2008).
1363:from the original on March 24, 2024
782:. Lerner Publications. p. 11.
346:raise and quiver their tails while
1019:Understanding Your Dog For Dummies
776:Melissa Stewart (1 January 2007).
25:
1302:"An infant with caudal appendage"
299:, who may mistaken the tail as a
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857:Adele Richardson (1 July 2002).
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233:, use their tails to drive away
995:. University of Chicago Press.
696:Robert W. Blake (26 May 1983).
486:Humans have a "tail bone" (the
393:, not bone. Various species of
404:Most birds' tails end in long
198:, instead use their tails for
1:
1382:Callaway, Ewen (2024-02-28).
1119:. DK Publishing. p. 19.
1172:Robert W. McFarlane (1994).
1046:Reptile Medicine and Surgery
752:The Heinemann Science Scheme
702:. CUP Archive. p. 143.
508:) species (i.e., tailless).
267:. For example, the tails of
1113:David Burnie (5 May 2008).
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1408:10.1038/d41586-024-00610-x
755:. Heinemann. p. 125.
460:refers to the part of the
255:Some species' tails serve
29:
1116:DK Eyewitness Books: Bird
674:, the tail of an aircraft
639:Alligator mississipiensis
297:as a lure to attract prey
1318:10.1136/bcr.11.2011.5160
863:. Capstone. p. 20.
326:Tails are also used for
214:, which are adapted for
1178:. Norton. p. 40.
1143:Exploring Life Science
992:Wild Cats of the World
658:Hippopotamus amphibius
453:
159:
139:anatomical terminology
46:
749:Byron Dawson (2003).
451:
152:
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32:Tail (disambiguation)
1440:at Wikimedia Commons
354:(including domestic
202:; and some, such as
1400:2024Natur.627...15C
1282:. November 14, 2006
424:, and most notably
216:arboreal locomotion
182:and other forms of
80:to lose tail (e.g.
1255:. February 1, 2008
903:10.3390/ani4010045
635:American alligator
454:
430:courtship displays
315:) have tails with
289:penetrating trauma
259:functions, either
246:thermal insulation
168:aquatic locomotion
160:
47:
1436:Media related to
1312:: bcr1120115160.
1202:. Merriam Webster
1185:978-0-393-31167-9
1158:978-0-7614-7145-5
1126:978-0-7566-6758-0
1084:10.1002/mus.24498
1029:978-1-118-05276-1
1002:978-0-226-51823-7
975:978-0-87351-656-3
948:978-1-4684-1027-3
870:978-0-7368-1318-1
843:978-0-553-52368-3
816:978-0-674-04474-6
789:978-0-8225-6765-3
779:New World Monkeys
762:978-0-435-58332-3
735:978-1-59921-625-6
709:978-0-521-24303-2
418:birds of paradise
305:armored dinosaurs
287:that can deliver
283:have a thickened
225:animals, such as
43:white-tailed deer
16:(Redirected from
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180:crocodilians
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127:caudate lobe
124:
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456:In humans,
444:Human tails
434:woodpeckers
358:) indicate
313:ankylosaurs
265:defensively
261:predatorily
188:Terrestrial
184:marine life
112:springtails
57:) end of a
1286:2009-04-28
1259:2009-04-28
1200:"Tail Bud"
684:References
332:signalling
309:stegosaurs
257:aggressive
97:homologous
74:vertebrate
59:bilaterian
1367:March 24,
860:Scorpions
672:Empennage
578:Glyptodon
492:vertebrae
422:lyrebirds
410:rectrices
399:degloving
391:cartilage
387:predators
281:stingrays
269:scorpions
235:parasitic
196:kangaroos
176:cetaceans
108:scorpions
100:vestigial
66:appendage
1448:Category
1416:38418734
1361:Archived
1336:22604513
1100:40356618
1092:25346299
922:26479883
666:See also
545:Scorpion
506:acaudate
458:tail bud
406:feathers
366:perform
360:emotions
208:opossums
145:Function
106:such as
89:primates
1396:Bibcode
1327:3339178
913:4494300
890:Animals
512:Gallery
501:acaudal
478:atavism
470:muscles
426:peafowl
408:called
336:canines
334:. Most
273:stinger
271:have a
250:blanket
248:like a
223:grazing
204:monkeys
200:balance
95:is the
91:), the
86:hominid
78:evolved
45:'s tail
1414:
1388:Nature
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1279:Nature
1252:Nature
1228:4 June
1206:4 June
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488:coccyx
474:nerves
472:, and
462:embryo
414:flight
381:) can
379:geckos
377:(e.g.
375:lizard
352:canids
350:, and
344:felids
317:spikes
227:horses
164:thrust
135:caudal
116:snails
93:coccyx
62:animal
1438:Tails
1096:S2CID
321:clubs
285:spine
277:venom
242:foxes
238:flies
231:oxens
120:slugs
82:frogs
72:. In
70:torso
1412:PMID
1369:2024
1332:PMID
1310:2012
1230:2020
1208:2020
1180:ISBN
1153:ISBN
1121:ISBN
1088:PMID
1051:ISBN
1024:ISBN
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