According to the New York Times article, "The Tail of a Gecko Has a Life of Its Own," researchers at Clemson University and the University of Calgary are using the tails of geckos to study how patterns are generated.
When a gecko is threatened by a predator, its main defense mechanism is to amputate its own tail. When the tail is dropped, it serves as a distraction for the predator and allows the gecko to escape. The disconnected tail does not lay limp, though. On the contrary, it flips in the air and twirls around for up to a half hour. The motor patterns in the tail are said to derive from neurons in a gecko’s spinal cord.
To study the tails’ patterns of rhythmic swings as well as flips, leaps and lunges, researchers attach electrodes to tails prior to amputation. Once the tails are detached, the electrodes record patterns of electrical activity. So far, research has shown that the movements in gecko tails are rhythmic and predictable.
Not all geckos produce the same movements, though. In fact, movements appear to be related to environmental factors. For example, amputated tails of desert geckos flip higher than those of tree geckos, probably because it is more likely to distract a predator on a desert floor.
Because geckos are not harmed when their tails are amputated, scientists believe that this creature may be a valuable animal for further research on pattern generators.
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