TAIL FURCATION IN TWO COMMON NEOTROPICAL LIZARDS: Ctenosaura similis (GRAY, 1831) AND Gonatodes albogularis (DUMÉRIL & BIBRON, 1836)
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.22201/fc.25942158e.2025.1.1131Keywords:
appendage loss, autotomy, Iguanidae, regeneration, reptiles, SpherodactylidaeAbstract
Autotomy is a defense mechanism in lizards, followed by subsequent tail regeneration. Tail loss triggers a spontaneous epimorphic regenerative process, resulting in a fully functional replacement. However, caudal regeneration isn't always flawless and can sometimes lead to abnormalities like extra tails. By chance, we discovered two lizards with furcated tails in Costa Rica. On 07 September 2021, at 14:10 h, we encountered a female ctenosaur, Ctenosaura similis, Iguanidae, with a trifurcated tail in the Central Pacific region. In this case, two regenerated tails emerged from the original, forming a trifurcation. On June 6, 2013, around 10:00 h, we found an adult female Yellow-headed Gecko, Gonatodes albogularis, Sphaerodactylidae, with two tails in the northern lowlands. The tail of this female was double, with two tails emerging together without a clear distinction. Here, we present these two cases and compare them with other reported instances.
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