Meeting Abstract

104.5  Wednesday, Jan. 7  Tail autotomy and escape performance in a stream side salamander HENNINGSEN, J*; HERMAN, R; IRSCHICK, D; University of Massachusetts Amherst; University of Massachusetts Amherst; University of Massachusetts Amherst justinh@bio.umass.edu

Tail autotomy and the effects thereof have been extensively studied in squamates. However, this trait has evolved independently in a number of taxa. Salamanders are one group that use this technique to escape from predators, but we have little knowledge of how the loss of the tail affects locomotor performance. Here, we examined the effects of tail autotomy on escape performance in the northern dusky salamander (Desmognathus fuscus fuscus). In addition to measures of whole-organism performance, we quantified kinematics of escape behavior.