Forked-tail Lizard
Posted by: Fats in: Fats, Vitamins & Minerals > Wala lang
I just saw a forked-tail lizard in the kitchen. So I rushed off, got my camera and took this photo. 
According to what I have read, a lizard that escapes danger drops its tail but sometimes it doesn’t drop off competely, and ths becomes forked when it regenerates. Having a forked-tongue is one thing but a forked-tail looks rather funny. And while not having a tail is said to be a disadvantage to a lizard physically and socially, I wonder what having a forked tail does to it. Must be pretty sexy! 
From Lizards of Tasmania:
Tail dropping. Many people have witnessed a lizard dropping its tail. Geckos, skinks, legless lizards and some dragons have the ability to lose their tail quickly if it is grasped by a predator, then grow a new tail. Dropping a tail is not something a lizard does casually. A tail is a useful part of a lizard, storing body fat, providing balance and increasing the surface area of the lizard relative to its body mass, which is doubtlessly important in temperature regulation. In many species the tail is used in social signalling (although this has not been studied in Tasmania) so a tailless lizard is at a disadvantage, physically and socially. Nonetheless, although a skink that loses its tail might starve later, a skink that has been grabbed by the tail can be pretty sure it will die much sooner if it doesn’t leave in a hurry. The tail breaks at a fracture plane in one of the bones, and immediately small muscle rings constrict the blood vessels around the break so the lizard doesn’t bleed to death. At the same time muscles in the severed part of the tail begin to twitch rapidly. This usually has the effect of making the predator hold onto the tail more tightly, becoming distracted while the lizard makes good its escape. The tail will slowly grow back, but a change in colour pattern on the tail will identify the tail as regrown. Regenerated portions of tails do not have bones in them. The tail is supported by a rod of cartilage instead. Sometimes a lizards tail will not break off completely, and a new tail will grow from the break, giving the lizard a forked tail. This can cause difficulties for the lizard because it will not be able to slough effectively.
