Autotomy and regeneration, Biology

Assignment Help:

Autotomy and Regeneration

Shedding of body parts in self-defense to avert the attention of the predator-enemy or in any other emergency is a type of autotomy (auto: self, tomy: cutting). The most familiar example of autotomy is a breaking off of the tail in the common house lizard between the chordates, but the phenomenon is far much more common among the non-chordates. You have already seen that this takes place is many echinoderms. The star fishes and brittle stars can cast off their arms that can regenerate into whole animals. An extremely interesting case of autotomy followed by regeneration is found in a polychaete annelid worm termed as Chaetopterus. It lives permanently inside a U-shaped parchment tube in the muddy bottom in shallow sea water. If the anterior end of this worm is pulled by a predator a constriction between 12th and 13th segments breaks the body into two pieces. The worm loses its head region to enemy whereas the remaining hind portion is left behind in the U- tube. This hind portion contains the gonads and regenerates the front part needed for normal feeding activity. Chaetopterus has been found to have a remarkable power of regenerating a complete worm from a single isolated body segment that is segment 14.


Related Discussions:- Autotomy and regeneration

What is gingival inflammation, What is Gingival Inflammation Areas of o...

What is Gingival Inflammation Areas of overt inflammation should be identified and the etiology investigated to initiate proper treatment.

Describe about coronary reactive hyperemia, Q. Describe about coronary reac...

Q. Describe about coronary reactive hyperemia? Myocardium depends almost completely on aerobic metabolism. Occlusion of a coronary artery even briefly produces an increase in c

What is the heterotrophic hypothesis on the origin of life, What is the het...

What is the heterotrophic hypothesis on the origin of life? As per to the heterotrophic hypothesis the first living beings were very simple heterotrophic organisms that is not

Excretion, Excretory organ for protozoa

Excretory organ for protozoa

The stem is often dipped in a hormone powder, Before stem cuttings are plan...

Before stem cuttings are planted, the cut end of the stem is often dipped in a hormone powder. What is the point of this?   The hormone powder having a plant growth substanc

What is the root cap, What is the root cap? The root cap is a protectiv...

What is the root cap? The root cap is a protective structure located in the tip of the growing root. It protects the meristematic tissue of the root forming a cap that surround

Epidemiology, Epidemiology:   The study of disease in populations.  In...

Epidemiology:   The study of disease in populations.  Includes: The Aetiology of the disease Patterns of distribution of the disease How the disease spread

What is the goal of risk assessment, What  is  the  goal  of  risk ass...

What  is  the  goal  of  risk assessment? The goal of risk assessment is to provide risk managers, who might be, for example, government regulatory officials, industry health a

Define dark field microscope, Define Dark Field Microscope In this micr...

Define Dark Field Microscope In this microscope, condenser system is modified, so that only reflected and refracted light by specimen forms an image. Here, the object is bright

Write Your Message!

Captcha
Free Assignment Quote

Assured A++ Grade

Get guaranteed satisfaction & time on delivery in every assignment order you paid with us! We ensure premium quality solution document along with free turntin report!

All rights reserved! Copyrights ©2019-2020 ExpertsMind IT Educational Pvt Ltd