CAUDAL AUTOTOMY AND REGENERATION IN THE GECKO 
iL 
of seizure of the tail. 
he Gecko usually only sheds that portion of its tail necessary 
for escape ; in other words, autotomy usually occurs at a seg- 
ment situated not more than two segments in front of the pomt 
This is proved by the results of the 
following experiments : 
Thread tied between Tail shed behind 
3rd and 4th segments ; 2nd segment ; 
1ith and 19th, ..,;, Oth. 
Thread tied across middle of 
Sth segment ; hhh =, 
PGs ers LOG yy *, 5 
TSH 5, 1th. > 
bathe C7 ee 
16th ae 15th Ae 
Dri. POG. sy 
26th sy 25th a 
TEXxtT-FIc. 1. 
The Original and Regenerated Tails of the Gecko (all figures about 
natural size). 
A. 
B. 
C. 
D. 
E. 
Hemidactylus flaviviridis withoriginal tail, dorsal view. 
Pe Rt Original tail, ventral aspect. 
co of Tail regenerated from the 
base, dorsal aspect. 
fe hi Tail regenerated from the 
5thsegment of the original 
tail, dorsal aspect. 
Tail regenerated from the 4th 
segment of the original 
tail, ventral aspect. 
B=unsegmented base of tail; or = original tail; RT =regenerated 
KR 
tail; s=one autotomy segment of the original tail ; v= cloacal 
aperture, 
End-on aspect of a tail segment 3 days after autotomy has 
occurred. The edge of the original skin shows no sign of exten- 
sion over the ‘wound’ surface. G. The same, 6 days afterwards, 
The surface of the wound is now covered over with a new young 
skin, formed by the histogenetic cells, hiding the transverse 
processes of the vertebra. H. The same, 9 days afterwards. 'The 
multiplication of the histogenetic cells has now produced a 
slight protuberance. J. The same, 11 days afterwards. K. The 
same, 13 days afterwards, dorsal and end-on aspects. The 
protuberance is now well marked. L, N, O, P, Q represent stages 
of growth after 15, 17, 19, 33, and 50 days respectively. 
